Police allege stolen vehicle involved in fatal Palmerston crash

Authorities have revealed one of vehicle’s involved in yesterday’s fatal head-on crash in Palmerston was a hire car which was never returned.

A woman died and three more people taken to hospital with traumatic injuries after two vehicles collided on Kirkland Rd, Durack, on May 14, 2025. Picture: Nathaniel Chambers

A stolen vehicle was involved in Wednesday’s fatal head-on crash in Palmerston, police have alleged.

On Wednesday morning, a Nissan X Trail, occupied by two women, aged 45 and 40, and a man, aged 37, collided with a Toyota Coupe driven by a 19-year-old along Kirkland Road, Palmerston.

The 45-year-old female was located deceased in the back of the vehicle immediately following the crash.

The surviving three passengers were taken to hospital with “multiple traumatic injuries”.

Authorities have since said the circumstances around the deceased woman was a direct result of the crash and are non-suspicious.

Further, police have now confirmed the Nissan X-trail was a Northern Territory registered hire car that was not returned after it was hired in November, 2024.

Police say the vehicle’s number plates had been switched to a South Australian registration.

Investigations into the crash remain ongoing and police are currently awaiting toxicology results to determine if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

Wednesday’s fatal crash brings the total lives lost on Territory roads to 12, compared to 21 this time last year.