Three dead and two injured in horrendous highway crash in Sandford, Tasmania

Young couple who had just found ‘true love’ and their close mate are killed in ‘horrendous’ crash

  • Three people are dead after a two-car crash on a highway in Tasmania’s south
  • Brady Poole, 27, Maddie Baird, 19, and Andrew Everett, 28, died at the scene 
  • Police claim Poole lost control and veered onto the wrong side of the road 
  • The VW driver and his passenger, both 20, are in a serious but stable condition

Three friends were killed in a horror two-vehicle crash in Tasmania´s south on Saturday have been identified by police.

Maddie Baird, 19, her boyfriend Andrew Everett, 28, and driver Brady Poole, 27, died at the scene where their Toyota Corolla collided into an oncoming VW on the South Arm Highway.

Emergency services attended the scene about 5:15pm on Saturday following reports of an incident at Sandford, southeast of Hobart.

Maddie Baird, 19, (right) and her boyfriend Andrew Everett, 28, (left) died after the car they were travelling in smashed into oncoming traffic

Police believe the 27-year-old driver and father-of-two Brady Poole (pictured) lost control and veered onto the wrong side on the South Arm Highway

Police believe the 27-year-old driver and father-of-two Brady Poole (pictured) lost control and veered onto the wrong side on the South Arm Highway

‘I wish this was just a dream. I miss you both so much,’ wrote a friend on Facebook.

‘Rest In peace my beautiful Maddi & her partner Andy. Forever in my heart,’ wrote another.

‘This world is so cruel. another young beautiful soul taken to soon,’ wrote a friend of the two young men.

Ms Bairde’s sister Aprile told the Mercury her family wish they could have seen her fulfill her dreams. 

She described Mr Everett as Ms Baird’s ‘true love’. 

Sandford Cricket Club President Jye White wrote a tribute to his ‘team mate and friend’ on the club Facebook page.

‘[He] was a very important person at our club, not only a player but a mate, if you were feeling down or needed someone to talk to you could always guarantee he`d be the one to always offer support and bring a smile back to your face,´ Mr White said.

‘I had a funny feeling when I heard the ambulances racing back past yesterday,’ wrote a friend of Mr Poole´s.

‘Thinking of your family today.’

Police believe the 27-year-old male driver of the Toyota, which was travelling towards Hobart, veered on to the wrong side of the road after the driver lost control and collided with the VW.

The VW driver, a 20-year-old man from Rokeby and the passenger, a 20-year-old woman from South Arm were rushed to hospital.

They are in a serious but stable condition.

The VW driver, a 20-year-old man from Rokeby and the passenger, a 20-year-old woman from South Arm were rushed to hospital (pictured, police at the scene of the accident)

The VW driver, a 20-year-old man from Rokeby and the passenger, a 20-year-old woman from South Arm were rushed to hospital (pictured, police at the scene of the accident)

Inspector Luke Manhood told reporters at the scene it was a ‘devastating incident’.

‘To lose three lives in one crash is horrendous,’ he said.

‘Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those involved.’

More than 36 people have died on Tasmanian roads this year.

South Arm Rd is expected to be closed into Sunday morning with traffic being diverted down Rifle Range Rd and Gellibrand Drive.

Police are urging anyone who witnessed the crash or has any information relating to the crash to contact 13 1444.

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