Two dead, driver charged after car crashes into tree
Police have charged a man with two counts of manslaughter after a fatal car crash in Queensland. (Steven Saphore/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP
A man is under police guard in hospital after a car crashed into a tree, killing two elderly people.
Police said the 61-year-old man was the driver of a sedan that crashed at Brooloo, north of Brisbane, about 2pm on Monday, sparking a homicide investigation.
Officers responding to reports of a single vehicle crash discovered two passengers - an 83-year-old Kandanga man and an 85-year-old Gympie woman - in the severely damaged Suzuki.
The elderly man - who was found in the front passenger seat - and the woman sitting in the back died at the scene.
The driver was airlifted to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with serious injuries, police said.
He has been charged with two counts of manslaughter and remains under guard at the hospital.
He is set to appear via a bedside hearing in Gympie Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Police have appealed for anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
17 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli demands investigation into Lauren Ingrid Flanigan's death in custody
A community is reeling after a mother accused of fatally stabbing her three-year-old daughter died in custody, sparking a corrective services review. A vigil to remember 'beautiful little girl' Sophia Rose near Bundaberg in southern Queensland was held before locals heard the tragic news of her mother Lauren Ingrid Flanigan's death. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said 'some explanations' were needed over the Brisbane death in custody, with a review underway. Emergency services found Sophia outside a home with several stab wounds on May 26 and she died at the scene. After being charged with her daughter's murder, Flanigan was found unresponsive in her cell at Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre on May 30. The 32-year-old had suffered a 'medical emergency' in her cell before being rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane where she died two days later on Sunday. Queensland Corrective Services on Monday said a report would be prepared for the coroner, describing it as 'standard practice for all deaths in custody'. 'Get to the bottom of it' Crisafulli said questions needed to be answered in a 'full and thorough' investigation into Flanigan's death to ensure the incident was not brushed 'under the carpet'. 'This incident proves that there are some explanations that are needed,' he said. 'We owe it to everyone involved, people who work in the facility, families of people who have tragically lost their life, to get to the bottom of it.' He said the corrective services system needed to be reviewed in the wake of Flanigan's death. 'For those who do need to be held in custody, we have a duty to provide safe facilities,' he said. 'I think it's important that we don't brush it under the carpet.' The Moore Park Beach community is grieving after coming together to celebrate Sophia on Sunday. Hundreds came dressed in pink and with sparkles, Sophia's favourite things, at the gathering organised by Bundaberg local Trish Mears. Sophia was remembered for her love of dance and a child who had an 'absolute love of life'. 'She was just a beautiful little girl who was just full of life and lit up a room when she walked into it,' Mears told AAP. Friends, family and supporters blew bubbles and wrote messages in the sand while Sophia's favourite song, 'Sky Full of Stars' by Coldplay, played. 'It was absolutely beautiful and I could certainly feel her spirit there,' Mears said. The vigil aimed to kick-start the healing process for the grieving community with many attendees who did not know each other sharing hugs and kind words, Mears said. But the news of Flanigan's death ensured Sunday ended on a 'tragic' note, she said. Mears, president of Moore Park Beach Arts Inc, said the community would also honour Sophia at their local festival in August. A GoFundMe set up for Sophia's father and siblings.
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
Russell Brand pleads not guilty to rape, sexual assault
Comedian and actor Russell Brand pleaded not guilty to rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. (AP PHOTO) Credit: AAP British actor and comedian Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty in a London court to charges of rape and sexual assault relating to four women more than two decades ago. Brand, once one of Britain's most high-profile broadcasters and former husband of US pop singer Katy Perry, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday and denied all five criminal charges. The 49-year-old has consistently denied having non-consensual sex since allegations were first aired two years ago. British prosecutors announced in April that Brand had been charged with two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault against four women between 1999 and 2005. Brand, who previously gave his address as being in England but also lives in the US, is due to stand trial in June 2026.
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
Child rapist who tried to murder five-year-old girl granted release
A convicted child rapist who tried to murder a five-year-old girl has been granted release after spending 23 years behind bars. Stephen Neil White, 59, was jailed in 2001 after he dragged the young girl into bushland in the Western Australian town of Kununurra, struck her on the head with a rock, tied a rope around her neck until she lost consciousness, and raped her. At the time, the then 35-year-old was in a relationship with a woman who had brought along her two young cousins, whom she was caring for, on a camping trip with him on June 18, 2001. White later took the girl to hospital with life-threatening injuries, but fled the scene once she began receiving treatment, prompting a large-scale manhunt. He was eventually arrested and charged with attempted murder and rape, receiving a 17-year prison sentence. He was also handed an additional 16-month term for knocking the woman unconscious in the tent before dragging away the child. In 2013, a continuing detention order was imposed to keep him behind bars beyond his original sentence. Ultimately, White spent almost 22 years in prison before being deemed suitable for release in November 2023. He was placed on a three-year community supervision order and allocated more than $800,000 worth of NDIS support for one year. He reportedly told his lawyer he wanted to go back to prison. A WA Supreme Court justice ordered White's release under a strict supervision order. Credit: Richard Wainwright / AAP Image White has spent the majority of his adult life behind bars. In 1984, when he was in his twenties, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a 73-year-old woman in her South Australian home. That offence came a year after he indecently assaulted a girl under the age of 16. While on bail, he also attempted to sexually assault another woman, reportedly using a knife to subdue her. On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered White's release once again, and this time under 67 strict conditions. Under the supervision order, White will be monitored around the clock and receive intensive support through an NDIS plan valued at more than $800,000 a year, due to his intellectual disabilities. He must report regularly to police, abide by a curfew, refrain from consuming alcohol, and have no contact with children. He is also required to live at a designated address, remain within Western Australia, engage in rehabilitation programs, and avoid public events where children may be present. The decision to release White was informed by a psychiatric report presented to the court. White, who has an acquired brain injury and an IQ of 62, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder. The psychiatrist concluded that White is highly institutionalised and lacks the capacity to form meaningful relationships. However, the report said he had made progress in recent years while in custody and could be managed in the community under strict supervision. White will remain under the supervision order until December 2026.
