Friend's Harrowing Phone Call Interrupted by Fatal Car Attack in Kyneton
When Mel Sell realised she was on the phone with her close friend Alicia Little as Alicia's fiancé ran her down with his car, she was left utterly inconsolable. Their conversation on December 28, 2017, would tragically be the last words Alicia ever spoke. Despite frantic resuscitation attempts, the 41-year-old mother of four died at the scene outside their property in Kyneton, located about an hour north-west of Melbourne.
"I'd answered her call and she'd said, excuse my language, but this is her quote, 'Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that s**t'," Mel recalled vividly. "And I said, 'Same to you, Darl, sorry I hadn't called in a couple of days.' And then there was just this loud noise, just like somebody was running through grass is the best way to describe the noise ... it was just this loud whooshing and the phone cut out."
The Sound of Tragedy Unfolding
That disturbing sound was Alicia's partner of four years, Charles Evans, hitting her with his Toyota Hilux. After fleeing the scene with Alicia's phone, Evans called Mel's husband Mick, falsely claiming that Alicia had attempted suicide. "When Mick said to me that Charlie had rang him and said – that Alicia had tried to kill herself, obviously my reaction to my husband was, 'well she can't off, I was just talking to her'," Mel explained. "Mick's response was, I don't know what's going on, but Charlie's just rang me and the cops are on their way and they're trying to resuscitate her. And then obviously I started just hysterical. I was just bawling my eyes out."
Mel and Mick spent the next two days assisting homicide detectives, but the full horror of the event only became clear towards the end of the questioning. "It wasn't until they asked me a question - when was the last time you seen Alicia on her own? And that question, that stuck with me forever because Alicia and I spent a lot of time together, early days. The last six months, I think I'd only seen her on her own once," she said. Police pressed for details, asking Mel to provide a minute-by-minute breakdown of the phone call and whether she heard a car. "And that was the first realisation I had that he'd killed her with his car," Mel revealed.
Legal Controversy and Aftermath
The realisation hit hard when Mel connected the timing. "So it was two days afterwards that I found out and then the realisation that the newspaper had said she died at approximately 3.45. That was the biggest kick in the guts I've ever felt in my life – to realise that my phone call to her was 3.45. I was talking to her when he killed her."
The Victorian Office of Public Prosecution has faced significant criticism for its decision to downgrade the initial murder charge against Evans to dangerous driving causing death and failure to render assistance. As a result, Evans served less than three years in jail, a outcome that has sparked outrage among advocates for domestic violence victims.
This case highlights ongoing issues in the legal system's handling of domestic violence incidents. If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, support is available through 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or at 1800RESPECT.org.au. In emergencies, always call 000. Additional resources include the Men's Referral Service at 1300 766 491 for men concerned about their use of family violence.
Organisations such as The Red Heart Campaign, Australian Femicide Watch, The Allison Baden-Clay Foundation, Beyond DV, The Red Rose Foundation, White Ribbon Australia, and Friends with Dignity continue to provide crucial support and advocacy in the fight against domestic violence.
