Inquest into horror crash that killed three women to examine who was driving

A horror crash that killed three women - two of them mothers to a total of 13 children - still has one key question that needs to be answered.

Four years on from a horror crash the driver remains a mystery, with the two surviving passengers each saying the other was behind the wheel.

Four years on from a horror crash that killed three women, two of them mothers to a total of 13 children, the driver remains a mystery, with the two surviving passengers insisting the other was at the wheel.

The three women died when the white Holden Commodore hit a power pole with such force that it cleaved in two in the western Sydney crash in February 2016.

Deputy state coroner Derek Lee is now tasked with unravelling the mystery of who was driving, at an inquest that began on Monday in the NSW Coroner’s Court at Lidcombe.

Coroner Lee will also investigate whether the police pursuit launched just prior to the fatal crash was done in accordance with protocol.

Roza Mawin, Beanika Goak and Adut Mathang, all aged in their 30s, died in the crash at around 1.15am on February 20, 2016.

Mawin, 36, was a mother of five and Goak, also 36, of eight.

All three women had fled conflict in Sudan to find safety in Australia.

John Wol and Asunta Jongkor were injured in the crash.

Roza Mawen with three of her four children before she died in the tragic crash.

That evening, the five were at a party along with many other members of the South Sudanese community at Ms Mawin’s home in the western Sydney suburb of Marayong.

At some point, Mr Wol injured his arm, and the “fateful” decision was made that he would go to hospital.

Ms Mawin, Ms Goak, Ms Mathang, Ms Jongkor and Mr Wol piled into the car.

All of them had consumed a large amount of alcohol, except for Ms Mawin who was sober, said counsel assisting Tim Hammond.

One eyewitness said Mr Wol got in the driver’s seat, another said it was Ms Jongkor, the inquest heard.

Adut Garang fled conflict in Sudan to find safety in Australia before she died in the crash.

After seeing the car travelling at a slow speed without lights on, patrolling police turned on lights and then sirens to try and get the car to pull over, Mr Hammond said.

But the car did not stop, instead accelerating sharply before crashing into a power pole at around 98.4km/h in a 50km/h zone, according to crash scene investigators.

One of the officers saw the car “split in two and roll”, Mr Hammond said.

“It seems the pursuit was almost over as soon as it had begun.”

The mangled wreck on the back of a tow truck at the scene of the triple-fatal car crash.

In police interviews, Mr Wol and Ms Jongkor each said the other had been driving.

Mr Wol couldn’t remember the exact events of the crash, Mr Hammond said, while Ms Jongkor said she had asked Mr Wol to stop when they saw police but he continued to drive and accelerated hard away from police.

Beanika Goak lost her life in the crash. Picture: Facebook

Then, Mr Hammond said, Ms Jongkor recalled Ms Goak standing in the back of the car, reaching around and pulling the steering wheel before the car began to “zigzag” and everybody screamed.

Mr Wol initially faced charges over the crash but they were later withdrawn.

What exactly happened prior to the crash will be explored at the inquest.

Ambulance officers will testify about what they saw at the crash scene and where people were positioned in the vehicle.

Angelina Wol - cousin of Asunta Jongkor, who was injured in the crash - is comforted by friends and relatives outside Westmead Hospital.

16 people are expected to front the inquest, including the police offers involved in the pursuit as well as Mr Wol and Ms Jongkor.

The inquest continues.