Married couple who died in head-on horror crash leave behind 5 children

Tributes have poured in for the two friends and the married couple who were killed in a horror crash near Dubbo on Friday night.

The couple that died in the car in NSW’s central west on Friday night left behind five children.

Teenagers Lochie Jacob and Joey Urban and couple Sue and Graham Tait, from Parkes, died at the scene on Newell Highway, about 35km south of Dubbo.

Parkes Early Childhood Centre broke the news to its community that Mrs Tait and her husband, both aged 57, had died.

“We have some sad news to share with our PECC families today. Over the weekend, our amazing assistant director Sue Tait and her husband Graham were tragically killed in a head on collision. They sadly leave behind 5 children who need our love and support at this time. They range in age from 26 to 16.

“Sue has been working at PECC for 17 years. She was known for being a strong constant backbone of PECC who thoroughly enjoyed coming to work each and everyday!

“Her husband Graham was a well respected and experienced coach driver.

“If you would like to donate food or grocery items we will have a basket in the foyer area. Please ensure no nut or fish products please. “

Head-on crash victims Sue and Graham Tait.

“At this stage we are operational, and we will let families know ASAP if anything changes.”

Local MP Philip Donato offered condolences to the family and friends of the Taits.

“Their sudden passing will certainly be felt heavily by the Parkes community, however I have no doubt the community will rally around the family,” he said.

Heartbreaking tributes were recited for the friends killed when the ute they were travelling in crashed head-on with a van driven by a married couple, as police investigate reports that one of the vehicles had swerved onto the wrong side of the road.

Friends of Lochie Jacobs, 18, who was killed on impact alongside his best friend Joey Urban, 19, said they dreaded his funeral having attended his father’s two years earlier.

“Last night the world is loss beautiful young man last (sic) 2 years ago, I attended your father’s funeral but I never thought I would have to go to your funeral Lochie,” said his close friend Art Chaimongkol.

Lochie Jacobs, 18, was one of four people killed in a horrific crash on the Newell Highway near Dubbo on Friday night. Source: Facebook

Writing on social media, he said: “RIP my young man. All the Fabshop boys at Hort we love you.”

The friends died almost instantly in the Toyota Hilux UTE driven by a friend, despite the best efforts of paramedics to revive them on the roadside at the crash scene on the Newell Highway, about 35km south of Dubbo on Friday night.

They, alongside Mr and Mrs Tait died at the scene.

Lochie Jacobs, 18, (right) pictured with a work mate, was one of four people killed in a horrific crash on the Newell Highway near Dubbo on Friday night. Source: Facebook

The driver of the ute, a 23-year-old man, was rushed to hospital with leg injuries.

As news reached friends and family of the death of grim crash, a family friend of Mr Jacobs, - a bright student at St Stanislaus’ agricultural College in Bathurst who ran an agricultural business, - said his father would have been proud of him had he been alive.

Joey Urban, 19, an aspiring rodeo bull rider, was one of four people killed in a horrific crash on the Newell Highway on September 28.

Writing on Facebook, Tanya Lee, who runs a catering firm, said: “RIP Lochie give your dad the biggest hug he will be so proud of the young man you have grown to be.

“Thank you for being such a good true friend to my Waz.

“Sending big love to your Mum & little bro

“And to Joey’s family we send our love and prayers xx”.

Police are probing the theory the UTE carrying three young men that crashed with a van on the Newell Highway at Tomingley was on the wrong side of the road. CREDIT: TNV

Tributes flowed for Mr Urban, an aspiring rodeo bull rider, and Mr Urban, who has been friends with Lochie since childhood.

His sister Maddie wrote on social media that she would “drink a few Tooheys” for him.

“The best brother a sister could ask for,” she wrote.

“I love you so incredibly much. You will be missed by so many.”

Four people died in a horrific two-vehicle crash on the Newell Highway at Tomingley around 9.20pm on Friday night. Two men who were in the utility - aged 19 and 18 - and a man and a woman in a van - both aged 57 – all died at the scene. CREDIT: TNV

“Rest easy beautiful boys,” one friend penned. “The world is so cruel at times! Too young.”

One woman remembered Mr Urban as ‘one of the funniest buggers’ she had ever met.

Officers from Orana Mid-Western Police District are said to be receiving counselling after arriving to find two mangled vehicles punted from the road.

Rob Bevern, from Orana Mid-Western Police District said police were “committed to reduce the road toll to zero”.

“Any loss of life on the road is a terrible incident,” he said after the crash.

The accident has raised the state’s road toll to 248 this year, while in the past 12 months, 10793 people have been seriously injured on NSW roads.

Police confirmed they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and are also looking into whether speed was a factor

Originally published as Married couple who died in head-on horror crash leave behind 5 children