About 7.40pm on Sunday,the family were travelling in the back of a DiDi ride-share sedan on Milperra Road in Milperra when police say dashcam footage shows the driver turning right at an intersection,then being hit by an oncoming Toyota Hilux.
A man and a child have died and two others are in a serious condition following Sydney crash.
The sedan rolled,trapping the 52-year-old male driver and three passengers.
Thai Duong,41,and his daughter,Hailie,who were both sitting in the back seat,died at the scene. Another back-seat passenger,Duong’s nine-year-old son,was treated by paramedics and taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead,where he remained in a critical condition on Monday afternoon.
Hailie was in Year 6 at St Brendan’s Catholic School in Bankstown. A spokesperson for Sydney Catholic Schools said the community was shocked and saddened by the loss of Hailie and her father.
“The school will work closely with the family and friends of Hailie to ensure they have the support and care they need during this time. It is a hallmark of our Catholic community,that we come together in times of grief in prayer and comfort,” the spokesperson said.
“The loss of a young life is tragic in all circumstances and can impact many in the community. We have staff and student counselling available as we come to terms with this sad news and remember with joy the wonderful gift that Hailie was to the St Brendan’s community.”
The sedan driver was taken to Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
The driver of the ute,a 19-year-old man,suffered minor injuries and was taken to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory testing.
Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden.Wolter Peeters
A crime scene was established as the police crash investigation unit examined the cause of the crash.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden said that after reviewing the dashcam footage taken from the ride-share vehicle,police believe it was not safe for the driver to have made the right turn.
Police are investigating the speed of both drivers.
When asked if traffic lights may have malfunctioned at the intersection,McFadden said the crash was a “driver responsibility issue”.
“The driver is responsible for their behaviours and they’ve got to drive with that responsibility as the key focus,and often what we are seeing is drivers are dropping the ball and they’re not as sharp as they should be. They’re not taking their responsibility as serious as it should be,” he said.
McFadden said police were frustrated with the behaviours of some drivers on NSW roads after 12 road fatalities in the past nine days.
Anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage was urged to come forward.
A spokesperson for DiDi confirmed the company was aware of the fatal incident.
“DiDi will work with law enforcement in its investigation into the incident. Our hearts go out to those involved and to those impacted by this incident,and will provide support wherever possible,” the spokesperson said.
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