Teenager second passenger to die after horror Easter weekend car crash in Wangaratta

A 16-year-old is the second to die after a car rollover on April 9 also claimed the life of a 26-year-old man in Victoria’s northeast.

A 16-year-old boy has died in hospital after he was injured in a horrific car crash in Wangaratta earlier this month.

The Wangaratta boy is the second passenger to have been killed after the car rollover late on April 9 also claimed the life of a 26-year-old Beaconsfield man.

A police spokeswoman said the boy had died in hospital on Saturday afternoon.

The 23-year-old Wangaratta driver of the car was charged with culpable driving causing death and has been bailed to face Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on September 7.

Emergency services were called to the intersection of Greta Rd and Clarkes Lane in Wangaratta about 7.15pm on April 9 after a car rolled and came to rest in a paddock.

One of the three passengers, a 26-year-old Beaconsfield man, died at the scene.

“A 24-year-old Beaconsfield man sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to hospital,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

“A 16-year-old Wangaratta boy sustained serious injuries and was also airlifted to hospital.”

The male driver of the car, a 23-year-old Wangaratta man, was taken to a local hospital where he remained under police guard with suspected non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver had been charged by police with dangerous driving causing death.

He was also charged with culpable driving causing death, negligent driving causing serious injury and has been issued an immediate driving ban.

Meanwhile, a driver was killed near Bendigo on Good Friday after losing control behind the wheel and crashing into a tree.

Police believe the car came off Holdsworth Rd in White Hills, smashing into the tree and bursting into flames about 3.15am.

The driver, who has not yet been identified, died at the scene.

There were no other passengers in the car.

Victoria Police launched “Operation Nexus” on April 6, promising to ramp up enforcement across the state in an effort to reduce road trauma.

These two fatalities have added to this year’s worrying road toll, with 88 lives lost to date, compared to 70 lives lost this time last year.

During the Easter weekend last year, two people died and police issued nearly 8000 offences, many of which were for speeding and drink-driving.