Jess West and son Deighton remembered by family following tragic truck collision
The relatives of Jess West and her five-year-old son Deighton, who were killed in a horrific truck collision on Sunday, are mourning the loss of the pair and are rallying around the second son who survived the tragedy.
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A loving mother and son killed in a horror truck crash are being mourned by family as they rally around a second young son who survived the tragedy.
Jess West, 37, and her five-year-old son Deighton died when a truck ploughed into the Epsom family-of-four in Kingston, near Creswick, on Sunday afternoon.
Older brother, Oakley, 9, suffered critical injuries in the smash and is now in a stable condition.
His dad, Anthony West, 37, spent Monday at his bedside at the Royal Children’s Hospital after being discharged from hospital with minor injuries.
Police allege truck driver, Michael Knowler, 59, failed to give way at an intersection before crashing into the young family.
The West Australian man briefly appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing death and causing serious injury.
He is facing a further two counts of reckless conduct placing the father and son in danger of serious injury and death.
The double tragedy has devastated friends and family of the loving family-of-four.
Ms West’s aunt Susan Roberts said her heart had been “broken into a million pieces”.
Earlier this month, Deighton graduated from kinder and was excited to join his big brother at Strathfieldsaye Primary School, where their mum worked as a teacher.
“He was really looking forward to it … being with his mum and big brother every day,” Ms Roberts told the Herald Sun.
Family photos show little Deighton dressed in his blue graduation robes, smiling with his arm around his mum and cuddling up to his dad and big brother.
Friend Andrea said Ms West was an incredible mum who lived for her family.
“The love she had for her two boys and husband Anthony was so deep. Her face lit up when she talked about them,” she told the Herald Sun.
“She was always such a happy, bubbly lady.”
The court yesterday heard it was Mr Knowler’s first time in custody and his lawyer requested a note be made of his sore back.
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He made no application for bail and was remanded to return to court on April 30, 2020.
Mr West was driving south on Kingston Rd when the Kenworth primer slammed into the family’s Toyota RAV4 about 12.20pm on Sunday.
The SUV was rammed off the road and rolled before coming to a rest.
Ms West was in the front passenger seat with Deighton seated behind her.
The local community is rallying around Mr West and his injured son in the wake of the tragedy.
In a statement, Eaglehawk Cricket Club said: “Westy we can’t begin to imagine your pain but Jess and Deighton will always be in our hearts and we will always be here for you and Oakley.”