Driver in crash that killed five teenagers in Buxton named

The 18-year-old driver and sole survivor of a car NSW crash that killed five teenagers has been named, with family revealing he is “distraught”.

The driver in a horrific car crash that killed five teenagers south west of Sydney overnight has been named, with his family revealing their devastation.

Police were called to East Parade near Orange Road in Buxton just after 8pm on Tuesday following reports a Nissan Navara ute had left the road and collided with a tree.

Police revealed there were six people in the vehicle at the time of the crash, with the impact killing all five passengers – three girls, aged 14 and 15, and two boys, aged 15 and 16.

The driver and sole survivor of the crash has been named by The Daily Telegraph as Tyrell Edwards.

A relative told the publication that the 18-year-old and his family were “distraught” and “everyone is grieving”.

The driver of the vehicle has been identified as Tyrell Edwards. Picture: Tyrell Edwards/Facebook

He suffered non life-threatening injuries and was taken to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing. Picture: TNV

Mr Edwards is understood to be a former student at Picton High School who recently graduated.

The other children were all students at the school and were in Year 9 and 11.

The driver was breathalysed at the scene and returned a negative result.

He suffered non life-threatening injuries and was arrested and taken to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory blood and alcohol testing, where police are expected to speak with him further today.

Charges have not been laid and the results of those tests likely won’t be back for a number of weeks.

Acting Inspector Jason Hogan told the media on Wednesday that officers had spoken to the families of the victims, who are obviously very distressed at this time.

“We’ll be offering them some support and we’ve reached out to the road victims support group to provide ongoing welfare and counselling,” he said.

The wreckage of the crash that killed five teenagers. Picture: John Grainger

Friends of the victims pay their respects and lay flowers at the crash site in Buxton. Picture: NCA Newswire /Gaye Gerard

Deputy Secretary for the NSW Department of Education, Murat Dizdar, described the situation as “extremely distressing and disturbing”, revealing the victims of the crash had been at Picton High School since Year 7.

“As the community in New South Wales would appreciate, it’s a deeply distressing phone call to get from NSW Police, where we find out over night that we’ve lost five young learners," he said.

“What I do know is that the public education family galvanise and get behind each school community that confronts tragedy and that’s what’s taking place at Picton High School this morning.

Mr Dizdar said there are two separate counselling teams onsite at the school this morning.

“One of those teams is a dedicated expert unit to support staff that are impacted and feeling the stress of this news,” he said.

“We’ve got to recognise that these are teacher professionals who have been educating these young people, as I understand it, at Picton High School since Year 7.”

Police officers seen at Picton High School. Picture: John Grainger

‘Speed a possible factor’ in crash

Acting Inspector Hogan said preliminary investigations indicate speed as a “possible factor” in the horrific crash.

“The scene was extremely traumatic and the circumstances surrounding the damage will be investigated by our vehicle examiners,” he said.

“The scene will be interpreted by crash investigation unit and our forensic team to reconstruct what we can of the crash.”

Dramatic images showed how the Nissan was torn into shreds by the impact.

Acting Inspector Hogan said “having six people in a four-seater vehicle is inherently dangerous and it should not be done”.

Why there were six people in the car and how many seatbelts were being worn will form part of the police investigation.

A tow truck driver is seen removing the remains of the car. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

Mary Pace, a local resident, told the ABC that she was one of the first people on the scene after the crash, revealing there were “bodies [were] pretty much everywhere”.

“You couldn’t tell where the front of the car and the back of the car was. It was completely mangled.”

Ms Pace said a nurse arrived on the scene and attempted to resuscitate one of the girls. She said the driver was yelling for help but eventually pulled himself from the vehicle.

Camden Police Superintendent Paul Fuller the media it was one of the worst crash scenes he had seen the almost four decades he had been on the police force.

“It’s a horrific accident scene and a traumatic event like this will have a devastating impact on the families, friends and the local community,” he said on Tuesday night.

Superintendent Fuller said it was likely some of the first responders knew the victims, with emergency service crews being provided with counselling.

“A tragedy of this magnitude, it’s going to have ripple effects … for their family, friends and for the local community,” he said.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.