A teenage boy who died along with his best friend in a horror car crash that also killed a married couple tragically lost his father two years ago.
Lochie Jacobs, 18, and his childhood friend Joey Urban, 19, were passengers of a car that collided head-on with a van on the Newell Highway, at Tomingley, just south of Dubbo, in central west NSW, at about 9.20pm on Friday.
Paramedics desperately tried to resuscitate the teenagers but they died at the scene, while the 23-year-old driver of the ute was rushed to hospital with leg injuries.
The passengers in the van, Parkes Early Childhood Center assistant director Sue Tait, and her husband Graham, both aged 57 and sharing five children, were also killed.
Tributes have been paid to the two teenagers and the married couple following the crash as police investigate what led to the fatal collision.
“RIP Lochie, give your dad a big hug, he will be so proud of the young man you have become,” a loved one wrote.
“Last night the world lost a beautiful young man. I was at your father’s funeral two years ago but I never thought I would have to go to your Lochie funeral,” said another.
Some of the debris from the crash remained on the side of the highway Sunday, where friends of the teens began laying flowers in honor of the best friends.
Lochie Jacobs, 18, died in a car accident Friday evening. He and his best friend died tragically
Joey Urban, 19, also died in the crash, near Dubbo, in central west NSW
Mr. Urban’s sister remembered him as the “best brother a sister could ask for” and said she would “drink a few Tooheys” on his behalf.
“I love you so incredibly much, you will be missed by so many,” she wrote.
Another friend said they can “rest easy, beautiful boys.”
‘The world is so cruel sometimes! Too young,” they wrote.
Mr Jacobs has been running an agricultural business, Jacobs Rural Contracting, since April after completing school at St Stanislaus’ Agricultural College in Bathurst.
In his latest social media post on Wednesday, he urged his followers to donate to his friend’s mental health fundraiser.
Mr. Urban was known as an up-and-coming bull rider and “one of the funniest buggers” among his friends.
Parkes Early Childhood Center announced the deaths of its assistant director and her husband on Sunday, prompting heartbreaking tributes from locals.
‘Sue has been with PECC for 17 years. She was known as a strong, consistent backbone of PECC who enjoyed coming to work every day,” the Facebook post read.
Lochie and his childhood best friend, Joey Urban, were tragically killed after colliding head-on with a van on the Newell Highway on Friday evening (pictured)
Parkes Early Childhood Center assistant director Sue Tait and husband Graham (both pictured) also tragically died in the crash
‘Her husband Graham was a respected and experienced bus driver.
“Unfortunately, they leave behind five children who need our love and support at this time. They range in age from 26 to 16 years old.’
A GoFundMe raised over $11,000 in just a few hours to help support Tait’s children.
“My thoughts are with everyone and all the families affected by this horror,” local MP Stephen Lawrence said on Sunday.
“I know the Parkes community will rally behind your children.”
Mr Lawrence described the crash as a “terrible massacre” that claimed the lives of four people, bringing the death toll in NSW to 248 this year.
Investigators are investigating whether one of the drivers overtook a road train on double lines and in a blind corner just before the crash.
First responders to the shocking crash are being advised while the mangled vehicles have been seized as part of investigations.