Burnside crash: Aged care worker killed after collision with allegedly stolen Mercedes
Burnside crash: Aged care worker killed after collision with suspected stolen Mercedes
A selfless aged care worker has died after an allegedly stolen vehicle crashed into her car on her way home from work.
Stella Tan died at 7.23am on Friday when her Nissa Micra was hit head-on on Windsor Road in Burnside, near the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland.
Ms Tan was returning from a night shift when an allegedly stolen Mercedes crashed into her outside Nambour Special School.
Alleged driver Izak Kane Sefton-Bennett reportedly fled the scene before being stopped by Good Samaritans who stopped him from leaving in a second vehicle.
Dramatic footage emerged of the moment police stopped him and arrested Sefton-Bennett.
Stella Tan died when her Nissa Micra was struck at 7.23am on Windsor Road in Burnside, near the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland. Pictured: The aftermath of Friday’s fatal accident
Dramatic footage later emerged of Sefton-Bennett (pictured center) reportedly fleeing the scene on foot and being apprehended by officers, including one who held the accused driver by the throat.
The Caloundra West man has since been charged with several offences.
Beloved 52-year-old Ms Tan died at the scene.
Ms Tan’s partner Bernard Wee shared a tribute in which he described Ms Tan as his soulmate and said her “acts of kindness” will be remembered by many.
‘Stella was my soulmate and the true love of my life. I miss her and love her so much,” Mr Wee wrote on Facebook.
“Everyone will always remember her for her smile and acts of kindness.”
Ms Tan’s Nissan Micra was seen on the sidewalk with the bonnet smashed and parts of the vehicle’s front and rear doors crumpled.
The Mercedes remained in the middle of the road with a badly damaged bonnet.
The vehicle was reportedly stolen at 2am in Landsborough, 20 miles south of Burnside, just hours before the accident.
Sefton-Bennett was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle occasioning death, influenced by an intoxicating substance and insensitive disregard for the deceased.
He was also charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, armed robbery, possession of a shortened firearm, possession of methylamphetamine and other drug and firearm related offenses.
“It is alleged that at 7.23am a stolen Mercedes was traveling east on Windsor Road when it collided with a Nissan Micra traveling in the opposite direction,” Queensland Police said in a statement.
‘The driver of the Nissan, a 52-year-old woman from Nambour, died at the scene.
‘The driver of the Mercedes fled the scene, but was arrested a short time later with the help of bystanders.’
Ms Tan’s partner Bernard Wee shared a tribute online in which he described Ms Tan (pictured) as his soulmate and said her “acts of kindness” will be remembered by many.
Mr We described Ms Tan, who died on Friday, as “the true love of my life”