20 December 2023

Man charged over three-truck crash that killed a teenager

| Shri Gayathirie Rajen
Griffith Court House.

A 54-year-old man was granted conditional bail and is set to appear before Griffith Local Court next year following an investigation into a multi-vehicle crash. Photo: Oliver Jacques.

A man has been charged following a fatal three-truck crash near Carathool.

Police said emergency services responded to reports of a crash on the Sturt Highway near Carathool at about 2 pm on 22 November.

On arrival, officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police District were told two trucks had stopped on the Sturt Highway when a third truck crashed into the stationary vehicles.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated one driver, a 19-year-old man, but he died at the scene. A 54-year-old man, alleged to have been driving the moving vehicle, was ejected from his truck and suffered serious head and back injuries. He was taken to Griffith Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

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The third driver, a 42-year-old man, was uninjured and was taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

Police established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Following investigations, at about 2:20 pm last Thursday (14 December), the 54-year-old man was arrested at Leeton Police Station, where he was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death, and his licence was suspended.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at Griffith Local Court on Wednesday, 24 January 2024.

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