The newlywed bride whose fairytale wedding turned into tragedy when a bus carrying her guests crashed killing 10 people tried to kick down doors to run to the scene of the burglary, a family member has revealed.
Madeleine Edsell had just tied the knot on what should have been the best day of her life before news reached her that a 35-passenger bus had crashed from her wedding to her lodging.
The crash site, a roundabout on Wine Estate Drive, was just 12 km from the wedding venue on the Wandin Valley Estate, in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.
The crash – which occurred 17 minutes after the bus left the venue – resulted in the deaths of 10 wedding guests, while 21 were taken to hospital.
Unaware of the enormity of the tragedy – but it’s clear the situation was bleak – the desperate bride reportedly kicked a car door as she tried to enter a vehicle in an attempt to leave the estate and get to the crash site. to go.
Newlywed bride, Madeleine Edsell (right), reportedly tried to attend the scene of the bus crash – which killed 10 of her and her husband’s friends – by kicking down doors
The couple had just finished celebrating their wedding at the Wandin Valley Estate on Sunday when they learned the bus had crashed
“The bride practically kicked in the door to get in the car,” Ms Edsell’s cousin, Kynan Stanford, told 7 News.
(She said, ‘Take me there, I have to go’ and we were like, ‘No, you don’t have to go.’
Bus driver Brett Button has been charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving resulting in death and was granted bail on Tuesday when he stood before Cessnock local court.
Button’s lawyer, Christopher O’Brien, said outside court that the 58-year-old was fine.
“I’ve talked to my client,” Mr. O’Brien said. “He’s happy to go home. In all circumstances it does quite well.’
In addition to ten counts of dangerous driving resulting in death, Button has also been charged with dangerous and negligent driving resulting in death.
After sobbing while handcuffed before a magistrate on Tuesday morning, the bus driver was released on bail.
As he walked out of the police station seemingly unscathed, Button appeared to be flashing the middle finger of his right hand at the media as he walked past the cameras.
Earlier there was a scuffle out of court as relatives and supporters came forward after Button’s brief hearing.
Acting Assistant NSW Police Commissioner David Waddell said on Tuesday that police will allege the driver entered the roundabout in a “way that was inconsistent with the circumstances”.
“It was clear he was driving too fast to take that roundabout, causing the vehicle to flip onto its left side and causing those injuries,” he said.
The driver of the bus, Brett Andrew Button (above), full of wedding guests that rolled into a roundabout, killing 10 and injuring 25, has been released on bail under strict conditions
Lynan and Andrew Scott (above, pictured with their two young children) were tragically killed in the bus crash at the Hunter Valley wedding on Sunday night, leaving their two children orphans
The couple have been married for the past few years, met more than a decade ago and recently had two young children
Of the many families devastated by the crash, one in particular endured unimaginable tragedy.
Lynan Scott and her husband Andrew Scott were both killed in the crash, leaving behind two children under the age of five.
Mr and Mrs Scott welcomed their second child just under two years ago, having met more than a decade ago.
Mrs. Scott was a mining engineer who worked for Yancoal, the same company as the groom Mitchell Gaffney.
She was also good friends with another accident victim, Tori Cowburn, who also died.
Originally from Brisbane, Andrew Scott is a former YMCA lifeguard and landscaper turned hospital and health worker. He was working for NSW Health in Muswellbrook at the time of his death.
Lynan Scott, formerly Lynan Muldoon from a large family in Grafton, NSW, is an engineer from Queensland University.
Before moving to Yancoal as a planning superintendent, she had worked at the Bengalla mining company and Rio Tinto.
Her motto on her Instagram page is ‘Give it all you’ve got’. Her Facebook page has now turned into a memorial page, with a post asking friends or family to share memories.
Seven of the people killed in the crash are from the town of Singleton, 20 miles from the wedding venue, which is also home to bride and groom Mrs Edsell and Mr Gaffney.
Tori Cowburn, a proud aunt of her brother’s daughter and his wife, who both live in Singleton, leaves behind a partner.
The Scotts are just two of 10 dead after the bus transporting them from the wedding to the property crashed on a roundabout just 7.5 miles from the reception
Rebecca ‘Bec’ Mullen was mourned on Facebook by her fiancé, local Singleton Roosters AFL club member and financial planner Sam Duncan.
Another family devastated by three deaths is the McBride family, who lost mother and daughter Nadene and Kyah McBride and Kyah’s boyfriend, Kane Symons.
Angus Craig of Queensland and Zachary Bray of Byron Bay are also among the dead, as is Darcy Bulman of Victoria.
Zach Bray’s uncle was shocked by his cousin’s death in the bus crash.
“My cousin Zach Bray died in the Cessnock bus accident last night,” said Zach’s uncle Martin Bray.
“All my friends and family (are) in shock at the loss of such a beautiful young man.”
Daily Mail Australia confirmed on Monday that Brandon Stafford, a groomsman who had traveled from Victoria for the wedding, was among those injured.
Their emcee, local reporter Alex Tigani, is recovering at John Hunter Hospital.
He revealed that the crash was like “a war scene” and that he was covered in “other people’s blood” after rolling.
Eight players from Victoria’s Warrandyte Cricket Club and five of their partners have been injured, including Brandon Stafford, a third grade cricket XI captain, and the injuries include broken collarbones and a broken jaw.
All players and their partners are expected to recover.