In September last year, five teenagers lost their lives instantly when the car they were in crashed into a tree along a narrow country road, and split in two.
The accident took place in the small town of Buxton in New South Wales, Australia.
All five who died attended the same high school, and were 14, 15 and 16 years old. The scene was described as absolutely horrific.
– I have worked in the police for 38 years, and this is one of the worst crime scenes I have ever seen. They are all local kids and go to the local high school, Camden Police Chief Paul Fuller said at the time.
117 i 60-sone
The then 18-year-old driver Tyrell Edwards (20) was not seriously injured in the crash, but had to take urine and blood tests at the hospital. According to the police, the man blew negative on the blood alcohol test taken at the scene.
SENTENCED: Tyrell Edwards was sentenced on Friday 1 December to twelve years in prison. Photo: Handout Show more
On Friday last week, the 20-year-old was sentenced to twelve years in prison, with a minimum term of seven years, writes the Australian 7News.
He can therefore apply for parole in July 2030.
The teenagers had huddled together in Edward’s car, which was a Nissan Navara pick-up. All six must have sat together in the compartment, even though the car was registered as a four-seater.
He is said to have driven at 117 kilometers per hour on a stretch of road with a speed limit of 60 kilometers per hour.
Australia i sorg
A few days after the accident, the British wrote The Guardian that Edwards was using his cell phone while driving. In a video, filmed 67 minutes before the collision, the 18-year-old is allegedly seen aggressively turning the steering wheel while loud music is being played.
According to information from the police, reproduced by the newspaper, one of the teenagers in the car is said to have said: “We are going to drive out.”
An hour later, Edwards crashed.
The Sydney Morning Herald wrote last year that all those who died were thrown out of the car. At least one of the teenagers was not wearing a seat belt.
Admits guilt
Edwards previously pleaded guilty to five counts of negligent driving causing death.
The 20-year-old is said to have been caught for driving over the speed limit on two previous occasions.
IN MOURNING: Five young people lost their lives on Tuesday 5 September. The driver survived the impact. Photo: AAPIMAGE via Reuters Connect Show more
– This is a tragic and impossible case. The loss of these five young people, who had their whole lives ahead of them, has caused indescribable grief, New South Wales District Court Judge Christopher O’Brien said during sentencing.
– What were you thinking?
According to 7News, Edwards was present via video transmission. He hung his head when the sentence was handed down.
– The driving was excessive and completely erratic. The behavior indicates a serious disregard for community safety, O’Brien continued.
During the several-day trial, several relatives spoke in the courtroom.
WAS ONLY 14 YEARS OLD: Gabby McLennan. Photo: Handout Show more
– What did you think when you drove like that with the children in the car? You stole five lives. You were the adult and you should have known better […] You ruined our lives because of your actions. I hope that every night before you go to sleep you think back to that night and those five beautiful lives, said Samantha McLennan, mother of the late Gabby McLennan.
The court heard that Edwards has suffered from severe depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the car crash. He also reportedly suffered from amnesia and night terrors, according to a forensic psychologist.
A SMALL COMMUNITY: The day after the accident, many people visited the scene to lay flowers. Photo: AAPIMAGE via Reuters Connect Show more
– This is a life sentence for all five families who know that the children will never come home again, said Exaven Desisto, who lost his son Antonio Desisto.
He further said:
– If he (Edwards, journ.anm.) qualifies for parole in seven years, then that’s 18 months per child. Is that what a child’s life is worth? 18 months?
– Has sympathy
Shortly after the accident, Jon Van de Putte, the father of the deceased Lily Van de Putte, stated that he did not hold a grudge against the driver.
– He is going to go through hell, he said ABC News i september 2022.
During the trial he stated that he could never forgive Edwards, but that he “has sympathy for what he is going through”.
About the driver: – A good boy with a great family
– Some people want to see him dead, others don’t. I can understand both sides. I have lost my daughter. She’s not coming back. What we have to do now is to change the law so that there is a higher penalty for minor offences, so that it does not go as far as in this case, Van de Putte said in court, quoted by 7News.
He believes that twelve years’ imprisonment with a minimum term of seven years is a low sentence.
– You would get a longer sentence if you kill someone with a bat. And this is where the law needs to be changed. We must treat vehicles as a weapon […] Seven years does not hold him accountable enough for the offense he committed.
– Unfair that I survived
Eyewitness Mary Pace, who was one of the first people on the scene after the crash, has previously explained that the car the young people were in was a total wreck.
– You couldn’t see the front or the back of the car. It was completely destroyed, Pace said.
The station manager at the New South Wales Ambulance Service, said in September 2022 that the injuries that met them at the scene were so confronting that the health personnel were deeply affected for a long time.
CRASHED INTO A TREE: Tyrell Edwards is said to have driven at 117 kilometers per hour. Photo: AAPIMAGE via Reuters Connect Show more
In a statement from Edwards, read out in court by Judge O’Brien, he says he cannot imagine the family’s pain:
– I am so sorry for the losses and all the pain I have caused. I know I have to realize what has happened. I cannot fathom how unfair it is that I survived. I wish I could take it all back. I know my apology doesn’t change anything, and it won’t bring any comfort to those affected. I know that the sentence will not be a good enough punishment for what has happened.
2023-12-04 08:09:49
#teenagers #died #horror #accident
