Truckie dies in smash
COP DESCRIBES CATASTROPHIC SCENES
A SENIOR Townsville police officer described the fatal truck crash which killed Steve Bowen on the Bruce Highway as one of the worst he had seen in his 34 years of service.
Mr Bowen was the driver of a B-double truck the cabin of which was crushed by a heavy piece of equipment after a collision with another semi-trailer on Tuesday night.
Townsville Police district duty officer Senior Sergeant Scot Warrick said a northbound semi-trailer went out of control at 10.10pm on the Bruce Highway about 400m north of the Townsville crematorium.
“It was carrying a load which was a concrete and steel pumping device, so very large (and) a very heavy device that was on the back of that vehicle,” he said.
“At that point, in an attempt to regain control that vehicle appears to have crossed over the incorrect side of the road.
“At that time a B-double was heading south and it has collided with the trailer. Unfortunately it’s caused the pumping device to come loose and that has impacted the cabin of the B-double.”
Vision released by police showed the horrifying extent of the crash, with debris tossed metres off the side of the highway while fruit destined for supermarkets from the B-double was strewn across the road.
Sergeant Warrick said the crash caused extensive damage to the highway. It was not reopened until yesterday afternoon.
“I’ve been at the scene (yesterday) morning and (after) 34 years of police work, I can tell you that it’s one of the most confronting scenes I’ve ever witnessed,” he said.
“There’s debris spread probably over 80m off the highway and debris thrown off to the side of the highway as well.
“As I said, it was a catastrophic and confronting.”
Sergeant Warrick said Tuesday’s crash was the 19th fatal accident in the Townsville district, and the 11th involving heavy vehicles.
“We need everyone to take as much care as they possibly can; don’t drive fatigued and drive to the road conditions,” he said.
The driver of the semitrailer was taken to Townsville University Hospital with non-life threatening head and abdominal injuries.