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Incident Overview
A horrific crash occurred on the Fleurieu Peninsula, south of Adelaide, involving a semi-trailer truck, two cars, and a ute. This devastating incident resulted in the deaths of two women and left seven other people injured. The truck driver has been charged with multiple offenses related to dangerous driving.
Location and Time
The crash happened just after 12:00 pm local time (12:40 pm AEDT) on Main South Road at Wattle Flat.
Vehicles Involved
The crash involved four vehicles in total. These were a semi-trailer truck, a white ute, a silver Ford sedan, and a black Ford sedan.
Crash Description
The sequence of events began when a semi-trailer truck jack-knifed and partially overturned. This led to a collision with the three other vehicles: the white ute, the silver Ford sedan, and the black Ford sedan. The force of the impact was severe, causing significant damage to the vehicles. One of the cars had its side torn off, while another ended up wedged against a crash barrier.
Injuries/Fatalities
Tragically, two women who were passengers in the silver Ford sedan lost their lives in the crash. One of the women, aged 44, died at the scene, while the other woman sadly passed away later in the hospital. The driver of the silver Ford, a 43-year-old man, sustained critical injuries and is fighting for his life. The driver of the white ute, a 48-year-old man from Hay Flat, was also seriously injured and taken to the hospital. The driver of the black Ford sedan, a 38-year-old woman, and her two passengers, a 45-year-old man and a 10-year-old girl, were taken to the hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. The truck driver, a 35-year-old man from Victor Harbor, had minor injuries.
Emergency Response
Emergency services were quick to respond to the scene of the crash. Paramedics and police worked to assist the injured, and two patients were airlifted to the hospital for urgent treatment.
Investigation
Major Crash investigators were called to the scene to determine the cause of the crash. They arrested the truck driver and have charged him with serious driving offenses. These charges include two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of causing serious harm by dangerous driving, and four counts of causing harm by dangerous driving.
Witnesses/Appeals
While the report doesn’t specifically mention any public appeals for witnesses, it’s highly probable that investigators are asking anyone who saw the crash to come forward with information.
Community Impact
The crash had a significant impact on the local community, causing major disruption to traffic. Main South Road was closed between Pyne Hill Road and Forktree Road for an extended period. Residents in the area have expressed concerns about the safety of this particular stretch of road, noting that it has a history of near misses and accidents, especially on the bends.
Contributing Factors
The exact factors that contributed to the crash are still being investigated. However, the fact that the truck driver has been charged with dangerous driving offenses suggests that his actions may have played a significant role in the collision.