Strathmerton car crash: Man in police custody after five people killed in horror collision
Car smash horror as FIVE people die when Mercedes ‘who just got a speeding ticket’ runs a right of way sign – leading to a catastrophe involving a 4WD car and a truck: driver is charged
- The Strathmerton incident involves trucks and cars
- Five people were killed in an accident on Thursday
The death toll from a horrific car crash in northern Victoria has risen to five as it appears the driver had just been ticketed.
A white Mercedes sedan was driving on Labuan Road, in Strathmerton, when it hit a Nissan Navara at the Murray Valley Hwy intersection at about 2.30pm Thursday.
The force of the crash sent the Nissan Navara into the path of a B-twin truck.
The Nissan driver, a local woman in her 60s, and her four international employees were killed instantly.
The Mercedes driver, a 29-year-old man, and his 29-year-old female passenger were taken to hospital for treatment with minor injuries.
Five people were killed on Thursday after a horror crash between two cars and a B-double truck in northern Victoria
The Nissan Navara was completely torn apart by the force of the collision
Emergency services were called to an incident in Strathmerton, just south of the NSW border, at about 2.30pm on Thursday with reports of a multi-car collision (photo, map)
They have since been released and the man has been taken into police custody where he is currently being questioned.
The crash was so bad that identification experts and search and rescue teams had to be called in to determine the number of casualties.
Police said charges are expected to be filed and they will claim he failed to stop at the intersection as required.
Assistant Road Police Commissioner Glen Weir said the Mercedes was pulled over by police at 1.43pm and given a speeding ticket after it was allegedly caught driving 11 miles (18 km) over the speed limit.
While police are still investigating the circumstances of the crash, police believe the four international victims are from Asia and worked in the local agricultural industry in Australia.
At the time of the crash, the Navara driver was dropping her employees off at home after working on her property all day, Assistant Commissioner Weir said.
The quintuple fatal accident is the deadliest car crash Victoria has experienced since 2012.
More to come.
The cause of the collision at the intersection of Murray Valley Hwy and Labuan Rd is yet to be determined (photo, intersection)