A HORROR day on a major South East highway has left the Naracoorte community in shock following the tragic death of two men in separate crashes near the township on Saturday.
A 22-year-old Victorian man and a 29-year-old Naracoorte man were killed on the Riddoch Highway in two crashes which occurred just kilometres and hours apart.
Adding to the tragic circumstances was the revelation the driver – Lal Din Sang, an 18-year-old migrant from Asia – involved in the second crash had been arrested after returning a blood alcohol reading of .105.
He appeared via video-link in the Adelaide Magistrates Court yesterday on several serious driving charges and defence counsel made no application for bail.
The matter was adjourned until January 14, 2018, to allow time for toxicology reports and crash reconstruction to be undertaken.
Naracoorte Lucindale Mayor Erika Vickery said the community was left shocked and saddened by the fatalities.
“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the people impacted,” Ms Vickery said.
“We are thankful and respect the work of all the emergency services personnel, including the volunteers who responded to the incidents.”
Police and emergency services were first called to the Riddoch Highway around 8.30am following reports of a three vehicle crash 5km south of Naracoorte.
On arrival, crews found significant damage to one Ford sedan, which had been involved in a collision with a utility and another vehicle.
The sole occupant of the sedan – a 29-year-old man from Naracoorte – was pronounced dead at the scene.
Later in the afternoon, tragedy struck again, less than 10km north of the first crash site.
Police and emergency services were called to the scene where a car had crashed into a barrier before rolling off the road and colliding with a stobie pole.
A passenger in the vehicle, a 23-year-old Victorian man – who was not wearing a seatbelt – was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
A second passenger, a 22-year-old man, sustained non-life threatening injuries and was taken to the Naracoorte Hospital before being flown to the Flinders Medical Centre.
On Sunday, major crash investigators arrested the driver and charged him with aggravated causing death and causing injury by dangerous driving, driving unlicensed and drink driving.
He was breath-tested and returned a blood alcohol reading more than double the legal limit of 0.05.
Limestone Coast Police highway patrol Sergeant Paul Watts said both crashes were absolutely tragic for the wider South East community.
“It is just really sad … the effects these crashes will have on the victims’ families is tragic and life-changing,” Sgt Watts said.
“The impact extends further to the emergency service crews and medical staff as often these people are known among members in the community.”
While major crash investigators are still analysing the circumstances of each crash, Sgt Watts said they were definitely avoidable.
“People need to drive to the road conditions and definitely don’t drive if you have consumed alcohol,” Sgt Watts said.
“We do as much as we can to prevent these incidents by having a visible presence on the road, but we can only do so much, the onus is on the driver.”
Sgt Watts said there had now been four fatalities on the Riddoch Highway – between Penola and Padthaway – this year, however dismissed any suggestion the road was unsafe.
“The reality we have living in the South East and particularly on the Riddoch Highway is that if you leave the road there are a lot of objects to collide with,” Sgt Watts said.
Following the recent history of incidents surrounding the Naracoorte township, Ms Vickery urged people to drive safely.
“I urge all road users to be careful on the roads to make sure we all arrive safely,” Ms Vickery said.
With the summer months and festive season approaching, Sgt Watts said he expected a higher volume of traffic on South East roads in the coming months.
“We ask people who witness inappropriate driving to contact 131 444 because we do have patrols on the highways and alerting us helps intercept these vehicles straight away,” he said.
The two fatalities took the state’s road toll to 47 compared to 65 at the same time last year.
