Couple’s desperate bid at crash scene
FAITHFUL DOGS STAY BY SIDE IN WRECKED CAR AS HELP COMES
THE couple who rushed to the tragic car-crash death of cricket legend Andrew Symonds say his dogs refused to leave his side as they desperately tried to help him.
Symonds, 46, was driving up Hervey Range Rd, near Alice River Bridge about 50km outside Townsville, just after 11pm Saturday when the car left the road and rolled.
Paramedics attempted to revive Symonds, but he died at the scene as a result of his injuries.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash – which will include road conditions, driver behaviour and whether alcohol or drugs were a contributing factor – which is standard in any road death.
Symonds, a batting allrounder, played 26 Tests for Australia and twice helped the one-day team win the World Cup.
Known as one of the best fielders in the world, he was remembered as a loving father and larrikin.
Symonds’ death follows those of cricket legends Shane Warne and Rod Marsh earlier this year.
After the crash on Saturday night, Babetha Neliman and her partner Waylon Townson were first to the scene, finding Symonds in his vehicle about two minutes after the vehicle rolled.
“When we got there, we could see a car upside down with a man in it,” Ms Neliman told The Courier-Mail.
Symonds’ car was still on and country music was playing. The car’s hazard lights were flashing.
They found Symonds partly out of the vehicle, on the passenger side, but he was unresponsive.
The couple called triple-0 and were told to check his pulse, but they said they could not find one.
“My partner tried to get him out of the car, to put him
on to his back,” she said. “He was unconscious, not responsive and had no pulse.”
She said his two dogs, blue heelers, were in the vehicle and survived.
“One of them was very sensitive and didn’t want to leave him,” Ms Neliman said.
“It would just growl at you every time we tried to move him or go near him.”
The crash happened on a 100km/h section of the road near a bend, she said.
Inspector Gavin Oates said paramedics were at the scene when police arrived.
He said the former cricket star was removed from the wreckage and was treated next to the vehicle.
When Inspector Oates was asked if there was any suggestion alcohol was involved he said, “no there is not”.
“Again, as per normal procedure, that will be looked at and part of the final report to the coroner,” he said.
The stretch of road wasn’t a known area for crashes and was a normal rural access road, he said.
Property documents show Symonds owned a home in Kirwan in Townsville.
Symonds also owned a house in Condon in Townsville through an investment company.
Inspector Oates said police didn’t know why the former cricket star was travelling there at the time, about 50km from Townsville.
“Driving at night time also comes with inherent risk,” Inspector Oates said.
“And we always advise people to be cautious when driving late at night, especially on country roads where there are always other obstacles or risks associated with driving in those areas.”
Acting Chief Superintendent Ray Rohweder said the accident was a tragedy.
“We just ask people to be mindful of what they are doing whilst they are travelling on our roads,” he said.
He was unconscious, and not responsive had no pulse Babetha Neliman