Nhulunbuy fatal: 29-year-old woman mourned after fatal pedestrian strike

A young woman who was fatally hit by a ute on an remote road has been remembered by her community as a ‘beautiful, kind hearted soul’.

NT Police confirmed a 29-year-old woman was fatally hit by a Holden utility on an unlit stretch of a dirt road around 12.30am, Friday March 29.

UPDATE, April 1: A remote beachside community has been hit with waves of grief after a 29-year-old “beautiful lady” was fatally hit by a ute.

NT Police confirmed a 29-year-old woman was fatally hit by a Holden utility on an remote road around 12.30am, Friday March 29.

The 25-year-old driver stopped at the crash site on Melville Bay Rd, near Wallaby Beach, rendered assistance to the injured woman and called triple-0.

Paramedics and police attended the scene, and she was declared deceased a short time later.

On Sunday, Mulka MLA Yingiya Guyula shared his condolences to the family of the young woman who passed away in the crash.

“My family are thinking of you at this time, and the whole community of Nhulunbuy and beyond,” Mr Guyula wrote in a Facebook post.

“We send our condolences, prayers and thoughts for you at this sad time.”

Within the small community of 3200 people, many Nhulunbuy residents have gone online their tributes to the “beautiful lady” lost to the crash.

“This is devastating news. Such a beautiful, kind hearted soul taken from us too soon,” one resident wrote.

NT Police continue to investigate the fatal crash, and have called for anyone who travelled along Melville Bay Rd and had dashcam footage or saw any pedestrians in the area before the crash to inform police.

No charges have been laid in relation to the crash.

While the driver tested negative for alcohol, Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner said alcohol may still have been a factor due pedestrian intoxication.

“Sadly, 18 Territorians have lost their lives on our roads in the first 3 months of this year and it is believed that 95 per cent are linked to alcohol or drugs,” Sergeant Lindner said.

Of the 28 pedestrians killed on the Territory’s roads over the past three years, 93 per cent were Aboriginal Territorians.

INITIAL, March 30: A third person has died on Territory roads in less than 10 hours, after a pedestrian was fatally hit and killed in Nhulunbuy.

Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner said the female pedestrian was hit by a vehicle travelling on Melville Bay Rd about 12.30am on Good Friday.

It comes almost 10 hours after NT Police responded to a crash in Kakadu that killed two people and left a third fighting for life.

Sergeant Lindner in a statement said in the Nhulunbuy crash, the male driver stopped to help the woman and immediately called police.

He said St John NT arrived at the crash site shortly after, but declared the woman dead at the scene.

Sergeant Lindner said the driver tested negative for alcohol.

“Major Crash detectives are currently flying to Nhulunbuy to assist local police with investigations,” he said.

“Detectives are urging witnesses, including anyone who travelled along Melville Bay Road last night who may have dashcam footage, or saw any pedestrians in the area prior to the crash, to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference NTP2400031652.”

He said the believed alcohol “is a factor in the crash”.

Sergeant Lindner said traffic diversions in the area remained in place as the investigation continued, and he urged motorists to avoid the area.

Originally published as Nhulunbuy fatal: 29-year-old woman mourned after fatal pedestrian strike