Two teenagers are fighting for life after a horrific four-car crash in Queensland, allegedly caused by a 14-year-old boy driving without a licence. The incident occurred on Thursday evening, leaving eight others injured and sending shockwaves through the community.
Crash Details
Emergency services rushed to Maryborough Hervey Bay Rd in Susan River around 6:10pm following reports of multiple people critically injured, some requiring extraction from wreckage. Police allege a white Mitsubishi Lancer, driven by the unlicensed 14-year-old, was travelling north when it lost control and veered onto the wrong side of the road. The vehicle first swiped a white Suzuki Swift before colliding with an orange Kona. A red Volkswagen Polo, travelling behind the Kona, was also caught in the pile-up.
Injuries and Hospitalisations
One of the teenage driver's passengers, a 16-year-old girl, sustained critical abdominal, pelvic, limb and head injuries. She was taken to Hervey Bay Hospital before being airlifted by helicopter to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a life-threatening condition. Two other passengers in the Mitsubishi — a 14-year-old Granville boy and a 16-year-old Maryborough girl — along with the young driver, all suffered various injuries and were transported to Hervey Bay Hospital in stable conditions.
The driver of the Suzuki, an 18-year-old Wondunna woman, also sustained critical abdominal, pelvic, limb and head injuries and was taken to Hervey Bay Hospital in a potentially life-threatening condition. A 58-year-old Wondunna woman, a passenger in the Suzuki, received chest and abdominal injuries and was transported in a stable condition to Maryborough Hospital.
Trapped Victims Freed by Fire Department
The driver and passengers of the Kona were trapped in the car before being freed with the help of the Queensland Fire Department. The driver, a 40-year-old Eli Waters man, was treated for potentially life-threatening pelvic and limb injuries and taken to Hervey Bay Hospital. His passengers — a 40-year-old Eli Waters woman and a two-year-old girl — were both taken to Hervey Bay Hospital in potentially life-threatening conditions with multiple injuries. The driver and sole occupant of the Volkswagen, a 19-year-old Maryborough man, sustained minor injuries and was taken to Maryborough Hospital as a precaution.
Police Investigation
Investigations into the cause of the crash remain ongoing. Police urge anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward. Police inspector Paul Algie said incidents like this send shockwaves through communities, noting the event occurred on the third anniversary of a shocking triple fatal crash in Maryborough under similar circumstances. In that 2023 incident, Michael Chandler, 29, Kelsie Davies, 17, and Sheree Robertson, 52, were killed when a stolen car driven by a 13-year-old boy hit them on Saltwater Creek Rd. A fourth victim, Kayla Behrens, 17, survived but suffered lasting injuries after 10 days in an induced coma. The boy was sentenced to six years in detention.
