South West Qld fatal crash 2024: The 28 lives lost on our roads this year
Fatalities on our roads are at their highest in what is shaping up to be a horror year in our regions, with truck drivers, motorbike riders, families and friends tragically dying before their time.
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It has simply been a horror year on the roads of South West Queensland.
For many it will feel like there has been a terrible and tragic road fatality every week, and the data suggest this could be the case.
Data from the Department of Transport and Main Roads show road fatalities have grown year on year since 2020, with 57 deaths reported in the Southern Region as of December 2.
Queensland police say approximately 27 per cent of all Queensland road fatalities this year have been motorcyclists or pillion passengers, with 51 riders lives lost as of August statewide.
With 1.09 road deaths recorded every week, and the year not over yet, it is a sobering reminder to be careful on our region’s roads.
Two-thirds of road deaths around Australia have occurred on regional roads.
Our region is the joint highest in road fatalities in 2024, in a grim tie with the North Coast region.
HORROR TIMELINE:
January 8, 2024
A 29-year-old Applethorpe man who was tragically killed in a ute rollover west of Warwick has been remembered as a “truly great bloke”.
It is understood he was travelling west on the Cunningham Highway at Gore when his 2010 Triton left the road.
Mr Townsend was identified as the driver and declared dead at the scene.
The man’s sister, Nicole Townsend, took to Facebook confirming the sad passing and writing, “rest easy brother, I love you so much”.
Friends and family were quick to show their support, commenting “sending all my love, he was truly a great bloke,” and “thinking of you”.
February 19, 2024
At 3.30am on Monday, February 19, emergency services were called to the Gore Highway at Wyaga, north east of Goondiwindi, after reports a truck had left the roadway before it caught fire.
The road was closed in both directions while the flames were extinguished.
One person, understood to be the driver, was located deceased by authorities.
February 29, 2024
A motorcyclist in his 70s sadly died in a two-vehicle crash at Leyburn, west of Warwick.
The rider was travelling north on Toowoomba-Karara Rd, and collided with a four-wheel-drive which was turning onto an adjacent road.
The man died at the scene while the driver of the 4WD was not physically injured in the incident.
March 8, 2024
An 84-year-old man from Toowoomba was travelling along the highway when his vehicle left the road and rolled just after 3pm at Ringwood.
It is understood the man, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was declared dead at the scene.
The man and woman were trapped inside the vehicle, a Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said.
March 9, 2024
A 34-year-old man died after the motorbike he was riding crashed into a car head-on near Gatton.
On the afternoon of Saturday, March 9, the man from Wilsonton was treated for serious head and chest injuries but he died at the scene.
Riding on a Yamaha YZF-R1, police believe the man lost control and crashed into an oncoming car.
April 14, 2024
A horror crash on the perilous and deadly Cunningham Highway claimed the life of an elderly motorbike rider in April.
The 72-year-old, riding his three-wheeled motorcycle, collided with a caravan being towed by a 4WD in the opposite direction.
The man, from Kensington Grove in the Lockyer Valley, sustained fatal injuries in the accident on the highway near the intersection with South Branch Rd, about 40km northeast of Warwick, about 10.30am on April 14.
May 7, 2024
Ipswich traffic controller Nick Kail tragically died after a dual cab ute collided with a garbage truck on the Cunningham Highway near Allan, west of Warwick in May.
Friend and co-worker Lou Fisher said Nick was a good friend of his who had a “heart of gold, great sense of humour and stood by his friends”.
“He was an encyclopaedia of knowledge when it came to Traffic Management and he was responsible for a lot of the successful people in the industry now,” Ms Fisher said.
“Nick was an excellent trainer and was the first trainer I hired for my business about 10 years ago.
“He is a huge loss both personally and professionally. We are all saddened by his passing. The shock has not left me yet.
A GoFundMe for the man to cover funeral expenses raised more than $10,000.
May 17, 2024
A Pinbarren motorcyclist in his 50s unfortunately died after a collision with a car on a country road south of Gatton.
Heroic civilians and passers by attempted to save the man’s life with CPR, however, he sadly could not be saved.
Police, paramedics and firefighters rushed to the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on Gatton-Clifton Rd near Heifer Creek about 3pm on May 17 after a motorbike and Nissan Patrol collided near the intersection with Wagners Rd at Fordsdale.
June 9, 2024
A 72-year-old man involved in a single-vehicle crash on a country road in the Darling Downs region near Allora tragically died.
It is understood the man was the sole occupant of the car and died shortly after the crash.
June 10, 2024
A woman in her 60s sadly died after a car and cattle truck collided on the Warrego Highway.
Emergency crews attended the scene of two-vehicle crash on at Kingsthorpe, west of Toowoomba.
Police said preliminary inquiries indicate a 1.55pm a car was headed west on the Warrego Highway when it has collided with a cattle truck, near the intersection of Brimblecombe Road.
The driver and sole occupant of the car, a 68-year-old Kingsthorpe woman, died at the scene.
June 17, 2024
A small Western Downs town will mourn a Jandowae family’s tragic death occurring in selfless circumstances for a long time.
Phil, Ocean and Warrior Harris, alongside Phil’s wife, Krystal Reddacliff, were driving on Dalby-Jandowae Rd, at Jimbour East on June 17.
It is understood the father was reversing to help a Western Downs Regional Council worker at the time, before a car smashed into their vehicle from behind.
The impact killed the 54-year-old father and his two children, aged 8 and 15, with Ms Reddacliff hospitalised with serious injuries.
“My family was a shining light in my life, and their loss has left a profound impact on me. Your kindness and generosity will help me navigate this challenging period and honour their memory,” son Storm Reddacliff said in the horror aftermath.
Jandowae publican Red Clark said the town was rocked by the tragedy.
“They are from a very polite family and they were good kids,” she said
“We are all pretty shocked.”
June 21, 2024
Eighteen-year-old Cody Iverson’s employer said he would show up ‘from Barcaldine to Bendigo’ and praised his hard work ethic.
The Killarney man suffered life-threatening head injuries after an incident at Acacia and Willow streets at Killarney in the Southern Downs.
The man would sadly later die in hospital in October.
“Our second ever team member, Cody grew alongside the business becoming much more than just a young fulla burning wire. From Barcaldine to Bendigo and all points in-between, Cody showed up for us in ways we didn’t know we needed,” Mr Iverson’s workplace Offsider Agricultural Equipment wrote.
“What a kid. It is a privilege to be part of a young person’s life, and we are very thankful to have had it.”
June 28, 2024
An outgoing young man was remembered as “one of a kind” after a tragic crash in the Toowoomba region.
Alexander ‘Alex’ Shadlow, 18, sadly was killed in a road crash at Tummaville, near Millmerran, at the end of June.
It’s understood Mr Shadlow was travelling on Owens Scrub Rd, towards Leyburn about 2.40pm, when his vehicle left the road and struck a tree.
The man’s heartbroken family announced the death to a mammoth outpouring of support from his friends, family and strangers.
“Hold your loved ones close, tell them you love them, because life can change in a second,” parents Mark and Bernadette said.
“We love you Al with all our hearts, you made us proud son, go find those sunsets you loved.”
July 30, 2024
Two drivers died after a tipper truck and a B-double collided on the Newell Highway near the Queensland border at the end of July.
Both drivers tragically died at the scene around 10pm that night and have been identified as a 25-year-old man and a 63-year-old man.
The major highway was closed for some time as police investigated the scene.
September 6, 2024
A man died in a serious crash in the state’s southwest on a private property north east of Dalby.
Paramedics attended a serious single-vehicle crash on a private property on Bunya Mountains Road at Kaimkillenbun just before 9pm on September 6.
A man in his 50s died at the scene and a woman in her 50s, also in the vehicle, was transported to Dalby Hospital in a stable condition.
September 10, 2024
An adored Tara truck driver who was “full of life” sadly was killed in a horror rollover in the Western Downs.
Robert Ferris, 28, was driving his water truck just outside Chinchilla in September when it rolled and tragically could not be saved.
“Growing up he was always the funny kid, always dancing around and singing and that’s what he was like up until he passed away,” his eldest sister Jessica Beller said.
“You could see the love that he had for everyone. I’ve got photos of him with my children, and he’s just so in love.
“He was always talking about having kids … he’s always loved his nieces and nephews – he always had time for them and played with them.”
September 19, 2024
A 39-year-old man from Brisbane tragically died in a single vehicle crash at Murrays Bridge near Killarney in mid September.
The man was driving on Warwick-Killarney Rd when it is understood that his vehicle veered off the road.
The man tragically died at the scene.
September 26, 2024
After a single-vehicle traffic crash that occurred on Sinclairs Rd near the Bunya Highway on September 26, the driver, a 20-year-old Wattle Ridge man, died in hospital.
The Wattle Ridge man suffered life-threatening head and leg injuries and was flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital where he later died.
It is understood the man was the only occupant of the vehicle.
October 28, 2024
A 30-year-old man died after a single-vehicle roll over on the Carnarvon Highway in the Maranoa region at the end of October.
Police reports indicate that a Toyota HiLux was travelling north on the Carnarvon Highway, about 25km north of Roma, when it veered across the road and overturned on the dirt shoulder.
The man died at the scene and a 30-year-old woman suffered minor injuries.
Roma police said they understand the pair were travelling through the region at the time of the tragic crash.
November 8, 2024
Two men died after a Isuzu FTR and a prime mover collided on an extremely major regional Queensland route in the middle of the night.
The crash happened about 2.20am in Tregony near Warwick, when two trucks travelling in opposite directions along the Cunningham Highway crashed, and rolled.
Six stable patients with minor injuries – who were passengers in one of the vehicles – were taken by ambulances to hospital, including four to Ipswich Hospital and two to Warwick Hospital.
Horror drone footage from the scene shows the trucks flipped on the road and destruction strewn around the scene.
November 11, 2024
A teenager was killed in a horror single-vehicle crash, with police still investigating the circumstances of the tragedy.
Emergency services were called to Washpool Rd, west of Warwick at Leslie Dam about 2.20pm on November 11, after a yellow Ford Falcon left the road and crashed with a tree before catching alight.
Police and fire crews arrived to find the vehicle fully engulfed in flames, with the fire spreading to nearby grass.
The teenager sadly died at the scene.
Police reminded drivers in the area to be cautious on that stretch of road, which sees many incidents due to speed along the route.
November 19, 2024
A 56-year-old truck driver was killed after the light truck he was driving lost control and struck a B-double cattle truck and a car at Brassall.
The crash, which happened about 12.45pm on November 19, shut down the Warrego Highway well into the night with motorists posting pictures of being ‘trapped’ in traffic on the side of the road.
The driver of the light truck, from Logan south of Brisbane, died at the scene.
In a statement, a Direct Freight spokesman paid tribute to the driver, describing him as a “friend to many”.
“Direct Freight’s management and staff are heartbroken by the devastating news of one of our admired colleagues tragically passing in a motor vehicle accident yesterday afternoon,” the statement read.
“He was not only a highly valued member of our team but also a friend to many in our workplace.
November 19, 2024
A much-loved Brisbane Valley teenager was one of two people killed in a horror crash at Thagoona on November 16.
About 4.30pm, a red Holden Commodore and a red Honda Jazz were involved in a serious traffic crash on Karrabin Rosewood Road.
The driver of the Holden Commodore, 19-year-old woman Baillie Wolens, was flown to Princess Alexandra Hospital with life-threatening injuries but died in hospital on November 19.
The driver of the Honda Jazz, a 78-year-old woman, died at the scene.
Ms Wolens’ mother Shannon Beckwith said “everything was going really well for her, she was always just really happy and excited about life”.
“It’s been really hard but it’s been heartwarming to see how many people she’s touched,” she said.
“It makes me cry every time I think of it, but it also makes me so happy inside to think she was connected with so many people.”
November 24, 2024
A Western Downs rural firefighter has been remembered as a “loving and caring man” after his tragic death in a horror car crash.
Emergency services were called to Tara Kogan Rd at about 9.35pm on Saturday, November 24 with paramedics working to save the 37-year-old man’s life on the side of the road.
Tragically, Kogan man Stuart Larkin died at the scene.
“It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of one of our brigade members – Stuart Larkin – last night. We offer our sincere condolences to his partner Sammy, his family and friends,” they wrote.
November 26, 2024
Sunshine Coast man and ‘life of the party’ Jack Pottinger-Dore was sadly killed on his way to work.
Mr Pottinger-Dore was driving through the intersection of the Jinghi Connection Rd and Old Burrandowan Rd, near Jandowae, about 6am on November 26.
It is understood the Joe Wagner Group employee’s vehicle left the road, hit a tree, and overturned. He could not be saved.
In launching a GoFundMe fundraiser, Liam O’Sullivan described Mr Pottinger-Dore as the “life of the party”.
“In his 31 years he enjoyed life to the fullest, including activities such as fishing, motor bike riding, mountain bike riding, travelling to anywhere and just having a good time, usually being the life of the party,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“His biggest love was for his family and he will be eternally missed by his mother Robyn, big sister Emma and his three nieces Lilah, Indie, and Larni who he adored immensely.”
December 6, 2024
Warwick mum of three Caitlyn Jensen tragically died after a horror crash at an intersection just weeks before Christmas.
Ms Jensen was in a Kia Sportage with her fiance and three girls when they became involved in collision with a Nissan Patrol at the intersection of East St and Pratten St at 7.10pm in Warwick.
Ms Jensen’s three girls aged five, three and one were taken to Warwick hospital on Friday night in a stable condition with only minor injuries, while her fiance was hospitalised in a critical condition.
“Too close to Christmas for something so tragic to have happened … condolences to the family involved,” one Facebook user wrote.
“RIP Caitlyn, just know your family loves you and we will deeply miss you. I love you cousin,” another said.
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