By Jessica McSweeney and Ben Cubby
Police have laid charges against a 23-year-old man they allege is responsible for the deaths of four people in a crash in the NSW Central West last week.
Police allege the man was driving dangerously when the Toyota Hilux he was driving and a Toyota Hiace van collided on the Newell Highway at Tomingley, near to Dubbo, just after 9pm last Friday.
The crash scene on the Newell Highway at Tomingley in the state’s Central West after Friday’s crash.Credit: Nine News
The 23-year-old’s passengers, friends Lochie Jacobs and Joey Urban, aged 18 and 19, were killed. Police believe they were not wearing seatbelts.
Married couple Graham and Sue Tait, both 57, were also killed. They leave behind five children aged between 16 and 26.
The driver of the Hilux was taken to a Dubbo hospital with leg injuries. After he was discharged on Monday, he was taken to Dubbo police station and charged with four counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, not wearing a properly fastened seatbelt, and two counts of driving with passengers who were not wearing a properly fastened seatbelt.
He was given conditional bail and will face Dubbo Local Court on October 21.
Married couple Sue and Graham Tait died in the crash.Credit: Facebook
Sue Tait was a teacher and assistant director of Parkes Early Childhood Centre, while her husband worked as a coach driver and was well known in the NSW mechanical instrument collecting community as an avid mechanical piano collector.
Jacobs was a well-liked football player and will be remembered for his contributions to the Molong Magpies and the Emus Rugby Club.
A friend of Jacobs, Art Chaimongkol, posted a video on Facebook of him visiting the crash site to place flowers and two cans of Bundaberg rum beside the road where fragments of debris from the crash had been collected.
Best mates Joey Urban and Lochie Jacobs.Credit: Facebook
“Lochie, one for you bro, and one for your mate,” Chaimongkol said on the video which he posted on Sunday afternoon. “Rest in peace bro.”
A day before, he wrote: “I attended your father’s funeral but I never thought I would have to go to your funeral Lochie.”
Urban’s sister posted a tribute to social media, calling him “the best brother a sister could ask for”, Nine News reported.
“I love you so incredibly much you will be missed by so many. I’ll drink a few Tooheys for you.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.