Two killed in Cranbourne East car crash
UPDATE: A DRIVER who survived a horror crash which killed a mum and daughter leaving school parent-teacher interviews had a heated altercation at a bar moments before getting into his car.
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A DRIVER who survived a horror crash which killed a mum and daughter leaving school parent-teacher interviews had a heated altercation at a bar moments before getting into his car.
Tributes flowed today for 14-year-old Xinyu Yuan and her mum Ma Li Dai who were leaving Lighthouse Christian College when their car was struck by a Holden Commodore on the South Gippsland Highway last night.
The Year 8 student was remembered as a clever, “gentle soul”, who loved learning.
Other students and staff witnessed the crash, which comes after an unsuccessful push by the school to reduce the speed limit on the road.
The 26-year-old male driver of the other car, a silver Holden Commodore, is in hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Road Policing Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Tim Hansen said speed and alcohol were being investigated as factors in the crash, which occurred near Devon Rd.
It was also revealed the Commodore’s driver, from Devon Meadows, had an earlier argument with a person believed to be connected to him at a licensed venue.
“We’re investigating all the circumstances and the totality of the collision,’’ Mr Hansen said.
“There is an indication — and it’s an avenue of inquiry — that the occupant of the silver Holden sedan was previously at a licensed premises and there was some sort of heated discussion with another person at that location.
“That is an avenue of inquiry that we’re following.”
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives have been told the Commodore was seen overtaking a number of vehicles before the crash.
Further witnesses were sought to help work out what happened in the moments before the accident, which has shocked hardened police.
“These are horrific circumstances,’’ Mr Hansen said.
“We have young children involved and of course that takes a personal impact on our investigators.”
Staff and students at the school were left devastated today.
The school’s principal Jacob Mathews said Xinyu, 14, was a “popular girl” who will be “deeply missed by all”.
“The staff and students who witnessed the crash are devastated, they were in tears — we are all heartbroken,” Mr Mathews said.
“We are one big family here and Xinyu was like a daughter to us and it will take a long time to recover from this.”
It’s understood Xinyu’s father was on night shift and is struggling to comprehend the loss of his wife and only daughter.
“When he arrived here, and saw the crash ... staff had to hold him back, it was just devastating,” Mr Mathews said.
“He is feeling a lot of regret he wasn’t here to drive them home.”
Lighthouse Christian College staff said their focus today will be on supporting the students and Xinyu’s family.
“The year seven and eight students will be affected the most so we will stop classes because they won’t be able to cope with the grief,” Mr Mathews said.
“We will offer grief counselling with our pastors here from the church.
“We are a close-knit school, we are like family ... we need to support each other.”
Xinyu started at Lighthouse Christian College in Cranbourne East last year and was described as a “clever, gentle soul.”
“She loved school, and learning. This is really devastating,” Mr Mathews said trying to hold back tears.
Reverend Scott Ang has known the family for seven years and says his heart breaks for their close community.
“I was with the father last night and he is in shock. He was just crying and crying,” he said.
“It’s just so, so sad. I don’t know how to comfort them.”
Rev Ang described Xinyu as a “very good student” who was hard working.
“In my eyes, she was a very sweet girl, very sweet,” he said.
Mr Mathews said the school has tried to push for an 80km/h zone for almost ten years but requests have been rejected by VicRoads year after year.
“It shouldn’t take a double fatality for change to happen,” he said.
“We believe an 80km/h speed limit is reasonable and we will be pushing the council hard for this.”
The school entrance and exit has seen a number of accidents where the pair were killed.
Mr Mathews said just three weeks ago a teacher was involved in a serious accident and is now recovering from broken ribs.
“She is back on her feet and is okay but it’s still not good enough and the speed limit needs to change,” he said.
“We have 860 students here, we must protect them.”
Police say the stretch of road would be reviewed as per normal protocol.
A total 150 have people have died on Victoria’s roads this year.
Police are particularly concerned about enraged or upset drivers getting behind the wheel with a study of 86 fatal crashes last year showing in more than 10 per cent of cases the driver had experienced a traumatic or upsetting event at the time or immediately before.
“We are starting to see a trend now where the distractions are external — where people are jumping into their car in a highly emotive state and using that vehicle to take out their frustrations,’’ Mr Hansen said.
“We had two last weekend in these circumstances and we’re investigating the circumstances of last night’s collision in this vein as well.”
Victoria’s road toll for the year today rose to 151 following a single-car crash at Chiltern Valley in the state’s northeast.
It’s believed the vehicle left Chiltern Valley Rd, struck a tree and caught fire just after 3pm.
The male driver, who was yet to be identified and was the sole occupant, died at the scene.
Anyone who saw the Commodore before the Cranbourne East crash is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au