Chilling warning before the tragic crash that killed five teens from the same school but NOTHING was done – as cops reveal the likely cause of the accident
- Five teenagers were killed when a ute struck a tree in Buxton, NSW on Tuesday
- Shattered locals have raised concerns about safety of road where crash was
- One said it was not well lit, while another said speed bumps should be added
- Police said speed was a ‘factor’ in their preliminary investigations into the crash
- The driver, Tyrell Edwards, 18, was the only survivor and is in hospital
Residents of a community rocked by a car crash that killed five teenagers raised concerns about the safety of the road before the tragedy occurred and called for speed bumps to be installed, as police reveal speed was a factor in the horrific crash.
The teens were all killed when the Nissan Navara they were in veered off the road and slammed into a tree on East Parade, Buxton, near Picton, southwest of Sydney, at about 8pm on Tuesday.
Firefighters, paramedics and police rushed to the scene and were confronted with ‘absolute chaos’, with only the 18-year-old driver surviving.
The passengers, three girls aged between 14 and 15, and two boys aged 15 and 16 were unable to be saved.
Tyrell Edwards, 18, (pictured) had been behind the wheel of the Nissan Navara ute when it veered off the road and slammed into a tree in southwest Sydney on Tuesday night
One Buxton local said ‘it was just a matter of time before tragedy occurred on the section of road.
‘I have tried go get speed bumps put in down here. It was just a matter of time.’
Another local said: ‘They crashed on the south side of Orange Road. Everyone local knows to slow down for Orange when heading north down East Parade.’
The street where the crash occurred was ‘very narrow’ and lined with gum trees.
‘Such a dark part of Buxton roads,’ another said.
‘Honestly people use this as a race track,’ Louis G Ranga said.
It’s understood the speed limit on the section of road is 60km/hour.
NSW Police Detective Acting Inspector Jason Hogan said speed was a ‘factor’ in the preliminary investigation into the crash.
Five teenagers who died when a ute smashed into a tree in south-west Sydney have been named
Five teenagers who died when a ute smashed into a tree in south-west Sydney have been named and pictured, as distraught relatives leave heartfelt tributes.
Antonio Desisto, Tyrese Bechard, Summer Williams, Lily Van De Putte and Gabby McLennan – all age between 14 and 16 – died just after 8pm on Tuesday when a Nissan Navara ute veered off the road in Buxton, 100km southwest of the city.
The driver, 18-year-old Tyrell Edwards, was taken to Liverpool Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
He was arrested for mandatory blood and urine testing but is not in police custody.
It comes as the father of Miss Van de Putte, John, told the ABC he ‘doesn’t hold any grudges’ against the driver because ‘he is going to go through hell’.
Lily Van De Putte (pictured) sadly died with her friends in a ute smash on Tuesday night
Gabriella McLennan (pictured) was one of the teenage victims from the horror smash on Tuesday
Antonio Desisto (pictured) died in a car accident at about 8pm on Tuesday
Pictured: Summer Williams, who was only 14 when she died on Tuesday night in a car accident
Pictured: Tyrese Bechard, who died with his friends in a car crash on Tuesday night
The driver, Tyrell Edwards, 18, was transported to Liverpool Hospital with non life-threatening injuries to undergo mandatory testing. He returned a negative result when he was breathalysed at the scene.
Police said he remained under observation in hospital on Wednesday morning and was yet to be interviewed. No charges have been laid.
Devastated community members have visited the scene of the fatal crash on Wednesday
Paramedics were pictured wheeling the male driver towards an ambulance that took the 18-year-old to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing (pictured)
Five people have been killed in a horror crash (pictured) in Buxton, around 100km southwest of Sydney
NSW Police Detective Acting Inspector Jason Hogan said speed was a ‘factor’ in the preliminary investigation into the crash (pictured are schoolmates leaving flowers for the victims)
Inspector Hogan added that six passengers in a four-seater car was ‘inherently dangerous’.
Some community members raised concerns about the street where the crash occurred
Two distraught people are pictured at the scene of a crash that left at least five people dead
Inspector Hogan said the Nissan ute was not stolen and where the group were travelling would make up part of their investigation.
‘The scene was extremely traumatic and the circumstances surrounding the damage will be investigated by our vehicle examiners,’ he said.
The horror crash has sent shockwaves through the tight-knit town of Buxton as devastated locals attempt to make sense of the tragedy.
Bouquets of flowers and handwritten notes have been left by Picton High students at the base of the tree the ute collided with just after 8pm last night.
Shattered loved ones and locals visited the scene of the crash on Wednesday morning, with photos showing many sobbing and embracing each other as they farewell the five teens.
Bouquets of flowers and handwritten notes have been left by Picton High students at the base of the tree the ute collided with just after 8pm last night
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