Prosecutors claim Nangwarry crash-accused Callum Thorne using phone at time of collision that killed two children
A phone is missing seven months after a man was allegedly using it when his car crashed into a family station wagon, killing two children, a court has heard.
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A young man allegedly was on his phone when his car crashed into the back of a family car on a South-East highway, killing two children, a court has heard – with prosecutors alleging the phone is still missing seven months later.
Callum Thorne, 22, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday via video link from Mount Gambier charged over the crash, which killed siblings Isaac and Keziah Eykelenburg. They were aged five and 15 respectively.
A prosecutor told Magistrate Simon Smart they wanted a further 12-week adjournment given the “complexity of the file”, saying police are still searching for a phone missing from the scene of the crash they allege belongs to Mr Thorne.
“There’s assertions that the accused was using a mobile phone at the time of the accident,” they alleged.
“The phone went missing from the crash site – a ping was then located at the accused’s parents’ house, then the phone went dead and police searched the property and couldn’t locate the phone. It (still) hasn’t been found.”
Mr Thorne, was charged by Major Crash Investigation Section officers last October after the devastating three-car collision on the Riddoch Highway, about 5kms south of Nangwarry, near Mount Gambier.
He is yet to enter any pleas to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing harm by dangerous driving.
Previously, the court heard allegations Mr Thorne’s phone was being concealed and family members had searched for “dark bags” online.
No charges have been laid in relation to those allegations.
It also heard Mr Thorne “vehemently” denied police allegations he had told someone at the scene of the crash that he was tired and had been on his phone.
Police previously said the crash occurred after a woman driving a black Holden sedan collided with an emu on the highway. She was not injured.
A grey Toyota station wagon driven by the Eykelenburg family braked to avoid a collision with the Holden sedan.
Seconds later, a white Nissan ute, allegedly driven by Mr Thorne, crashed into the back of the Toyota.
The Eykelenburgs’ five-year-old son Isaac, who was a passenger in the Toyota, tragically died at the scene.
His 15-year-old sister suffered critical injuries and succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
Their father, Chris, 42, mum Paula, 46, and 13-year-old sister and six-year-old brother were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
On Monday, Mr Smart denied the prosecution request and, instead, adjourned the matter for seven weeks.
Mr Thorne will return to court in July.
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Originally published as Prosecutors claim Nangwarry crash-accused Callum Thorne using phone at time of collision that killed two children
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