Marleston man charged for fatal truck crash on busy SA highway
A 57-year-old driver will face court after a fiery truck crash north of Adelaide killed a 77-year-old truckie.
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A Marleston man has been charged and will front court after a fiery truck crash killed a 77-year-old man from Port Augusta.
Charged with causing death by dangerous driving, the 57-year-old Marleston driver collided with another truck on the Port Wakefield Hwy at Inkerman early on Thursday morning.
Firefighters worked for hours to extinguish a blaze caused by the two trucks bursting into flames after the crash.
The Port Augusta man died at the scene.
The 57-year-old and his passenger, an Elizabeth Downs man, 39, sustained minor injuries.
Major Crash Investigators arrested the driver on Friday, issuing him with an immediate loss of licence.
He has been bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on June 11.
Investigators are looking for anyone who witnessed the trucks driving prior to the crash or could provide information on the weather conditions at the time of the crash.
The 77-year-old’s death is the 26th life lost on SA roads this year.
The company of the deceased driver, Augusta Scrap Metals, released a statement paying tribute to the man, and said they were mourning the loss of their colleague.
“This is a devastating time for all of us as we mourn the shock loss of a friend, family man, and experienced driver who has been in the SA transport industry for decades,” they said.
The Port Wakefield Hwy was fully reopened early on Friday after being closed in the southbound lanes and with restrictions in place in the northbound lanes.
The crash came just one day after SAPOL urged road users to stay safe over the Easter long weekend.
“With people commuting to and from holiday destinations, it’s essential road users follow the road rules,” SAPOL Traffic Services Branch Shane Johnson said.
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Originally published as Marleston man charged for fatal truck crash on busy SA highway
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