Father of two boys killed in Wellington crash in NSW left ‘shattered’

A 25-year-old man has been charged after a hit-and-run in regional NSW that killed two boys and injured three others.

A 25-year-old man has been charged with 14 offences after a hit-and-run in the central western NSW town of Wellington yesterday that killed to young boys and injured three other people.

Jacob Donn struck the group – who were walking by the side of the road on their way back from a swimming pool – with his Holden Commodore at around 4:30pm on Tuesday, near the corner of Wayne and Raymond streets in the town, south of Dubbo.

He fled the scene and was arrested on Elizabeth Street last night at about 8:30pm.

Mr Donn has been charged with 14 offences after allegedly driving without a license, including dangerous driving occasioning death-drive manner dangerous, negligent driving (occasioning death), negligent driving (occasions grievous bodily harm), dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm-drive manner dangerous, cause bodily harm by misconduct, in charge of motor vehicle (x2), never licensed person drive vehicle on road, fail to stop and assist after impact causing injury (x2), fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death (x2), fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing grievous bodily harm, and possess prohibited drug.

He was refused bail to appear at Dubbo Local Court tomorrow.

Jacob Donn is facing 14 charges relating to the alleged hit and run. Picture: Supplied

The father of the two young boys killed by Mr Donn has been left “shattered” by the loss, remembering the brothers as “fun loving, beautiful boys”.

Joseph Shorey’s sons, seven-year-old Shane and six-year-old Sheldon, died instantly in the horrific crash

The boys were walking in a group of five – with, while their older brother, their mother and a friend were injured and are all now in a stable condition.

Mr Shorey spent the night driving to Wellington from Queensland, where he lives with his sons, partner and stepdaughter, and told the Daily Mailhe’d seen his sons just 24 hours earlier on Monday.

He revealed the final conversation he had with his children.

“I only saw them the day before and they gave me big hugs and cuddles and said, ‘Dad, we love you, we’ll see you on the 17th’,” Mr Shorey told the publication. “Now I’ve lost my two youngest boys.”

Heartbroken father Joseph Shorey has remembered his two sons Sheldon (right) and Shane (far left) as "fun loving and beautiful". Picture: GoFundMe

Mr Shorey said that his oldest son, nine-year-old Mark, was recovering in Orange Base Hospital, but didn’t yet know the devastating news.

“He doesn’t know that his brothers are dead, he just thinks they are in hospital like him, I don’t know how I’m going to tell him,” Mr Shorey said.

“I can’t believe it mate. I’m so shattered. It is gut wrenching, it is heart breaking, it is everything you ever imagine it would be.

“My kids should be burying me, I shouldn’t have to be burying them, they were my world.”

A GoFundMe has been set up with donations to go to Mr Shorey to help him pay for the boys’ funerals.

“He sent his babies home for contact with their mummy and mob and the most tragic accident happened please assist Joseph Paul Shorey to bury his babies with dignity and pride,” the page’s organiser Tarryn Burson wrote.

“I cannot fathom the pain he and all the mob are going through right now.”

Mr Shorey said his sons “were very happy kids, very sporty, very happy go lucky, just beautiful” and that he only found out about the accident late last night after family in Dubbo called him.

“They heard wind of it and said, ‘There are these stories getting around, can you find out what’s going on?’

“I said, ‘What do you mean?’ and they said, ‘There’s been a car accident, apparently it’s your boys’.”

The father-of-four rang Wellington Hospital and “they put me straight onto the detective and he just said, ‘I’m sorry to inform you but there’s been two deaths.’”

The two young boys had been walking with their mother, brother and a friend when they were hit. Picture: Channel 9

The scene on Warne St in Wellington where Sheldon and Shane were killed. Picture: Jonathan Ng

NSW Ambulance Superintendent Andrew DeGabriel said paramedics were “confronted with an absolutely devastating scene in Wellington”.

“It’s heartbreaking for this to happen to such a small community,” he said.

NSW Police Acting Superintendent Natalie Antaw described the accident as “tragic circumstances for the entire community”.

“Our thoughts are completely with the family and friends of the little ones involved and also the rest of the community of Wellington,” she said.

“Obviously a scene like that is horrific for anybody.

“It’s a tragedy for the families involved and we’ll be making sure we take care of our own staff and others who have witnessed this tragic incident.

“It’s one of those jobs where you sometimes wish your arms were a little bit longer so you can wrap them around all your staff.”

– with Candace Sutton