Two teenagers dead, two children in hospital after dirt bike crash in Grangefields

The brother of a girl killed in a head-on dirt bike crash on Sunday – that also claimed the life of a cousin and injured two children – has shared how he wants her to be remembered.

Police at the scene where two teenagers died after a dirt bike crash. Picture: Ian Currie

The brother of a teen girl killed in a horror head-on dirt bike crash with her cousin on Father’s Day has paid tribute to his “beautiful sister”.

Zena Houli’s older brother, Zak, told the Herald Sun his sister would “do anything to make people happy”.

“My beautiful sister Zena touched many lives with her beautiful soul,” he said.

“She was kind, loving, caring and would do anything to make people happy.

“I want her to be remembered as that shining beam of light and for her angelic qualities.

“She was truly a beautiful girl, a pure angel inside and out.

“She touched the lives of many, she left an impression on anyone who ever had the pleasure of knowing or meeting her.

“My baby girl, my angel, was taken too soon.”

Zena Houli, 18, from Altona Meadows, died at the scene after two dirt bikes collided on Beattys Rd in Grangefields about 6.35pm on Sunday.

Her cousin, Ali El Houli, 17, from Hoppers Crossing, was rushed to hospital where he later died.

Up to 50 relatives at a nearby home believed to be celebrating a five-year-old’s birthday party heard the crash before alerting authorities.

Two children, a six-year-old and an 11-year old, were also hurt.

On Monday afternoon the pair was being treated for serious injuries to their arms and legs at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

Meanwhile, police believe Ali’s father was rushing to the scene on a quad bike after hearing of the accident when he crashed into a speed sign.

Major Collision Investigation Unit detective Senior Sergeant Paul Lineham. Picture: Olivia Jenkins

In a press conference on Monday, Major Collision Investigation Unit detective Senior Sergeant Paul Lineham said police believed the teens were riding the dirt bikes in the dark and without a licence.

Investigators are probing whether speed or alcohol were factors in the tragedy.

Sergeant Lineham said the circumstances surrounding Sunday night’s fatal wreck were “a recipe for disaster”.

“They were unregistered dirt bikes. We don’t know the speed — that will form part of the inquiry,” he said.

“They’re (bikes) not fit for purpose on the road anyway, and they shouldn’t have been on it in the first place.”

“These are circumstances where people are out having fun, having fun at night-time at a festive sort of end of the year and have dreadful circumstances.

“We’ve seized all three motorbikes.

“We’ll work out speeds calculated from that as well as what the scene can tell us.”

Zena Houli, 18, died at the scene of the crash. Picture: Supplied

Ali El Houli died in hospital. Picture: Facebook

Sergeant Lineham said the ordeal had been “highly distressing” for the teenagers’ families, who had so far not been forthcoming with police.

“You will expect heightened emotions … it is a crime scene and sometimes family members want to get inside that crime scene and rush to their loved ones,” he said.

Several helmets were discovered at the crash site, but Sergeant Lineham could not confirm whether the group were wearing them during the collision.

It is not known whether any charges will be laid over the crash.

Sergeant Lineham warned of a potential accident spike as Victoria moves into warmer weather.

“As it gets hotter, we’re going to see more and more motorcyclists out on the road. We’ve had 24 motorbike fatalities this year,” he said.

“Our main efforts are to find out what happened because, more importantly, we need to know what we can do to prevent this happening in future.

“The information provided could be vital to save another life.”

The scene of the deadly motorbike crash near Melton. Picture: 7News

On Monday, Omar El Houli described the moment he saw his niece and nephew after the crash.

“We were driving down (the road) and we got out. My niece was on the floor dead and my nephew was also on the ground,” Mr El Houli said.

“I wanted to see who they were — it was my farm. I saw the motorbikes, I saw them, they were on the ground.

“I couldn’t imagine anything worse than what happened.”

Mr El Houli said he wished it was his life taken instead of the young pair as he struggled to come to terms with the loss.

“My niece was an angel and so was my nephew; they were the best,” he added.

“There was a few of us here with families getting together. I don’t exactly know what happened.

“I wish I could put my life there instead, they were beautiful kids.

“I can’t explain it. Family is all you got — if you can’t look after them, what do you got?”

A quad bike on Beattys Rd, where the teen cousins died on Fathers Day. Picture: Ian Currie

Family friend Hamza El Kurdi told the Herald Sun the pair loved their family dearly.

He said Ali had a strong passion for motorbikes and cars.

“They were kind and beautiful souls,” he said.

“They just enjoyed each other’s company and loved laughing and talking.”

Tom Pandza, who has lived opposite the property for 21 years, said he heard his dogs barking before he saw the pair’s bodies on the ground.

“As you do out here, they were probably having a bit of fun with some dirt bikes and quad bikes and it was starting to get dark at that point,” he said at his Beattys Rd home.

“As I was putting the dogs away I thought it might have been a little bit dark to be riding at that stage, especially on this road because a lot of cars come through pretty quick.

“Maybe about two or three minutes after my dogs started barking very loudly I did see a car and unfortunately a lot of people on the ground.

“I came out and then seen (sic) the carnage afterwards.

“Unfortunately the road is a little bit dangerous here … because it is so long and isolated, you do get cars coming down here at high speeds, hopefully that wasn’t the case.”

Beattys Rd is home to several paddocks and farms and is a long, straight, single-lane road.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, has dashcam/CCTV footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

The first weekend of spring has brought this year’s Victorian road toll to 198.

“It’s been carnage since Thursday from Chiltern,” Sergeant Lineham said.

“We’ve had eight people lose their lives on the road but we will continue to ensure that we put steps in place to try and stop these things from happening. In particular with this one, we will get to the bottom of it.

“We need the community to assist, we need parents to step up, we need community members to step up and give police assistance but also look after themselves.”