Latest news with #Gympie
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Two fighting for life after horror crash
Three people have been seriously injured, two critically, following a devastating head-on crash on a highway south of Gympie. Emergency crews rushed to the scene on the Mary Valley Hwy at Gildora, near the intersection with Ashton Rd, just after 11.45am on Friday. Police believe two vehicles, including a blue Ford ute, collided head-on along the 100km/h stretch, leaving one person trapped in the wreckage. A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said a man in his 60s was taken to Gympie Hospital with potentially life-threatening chest injuries. A man in his 20s was flown to a southeast Queensland hospital with serious chest injuries, while a third patient, whose age and gender have not yet been confirmed, remained in a critical condition at the scene on Friday afternoon. The Mary Valley Hwy has been closed at Lawson Rd, several kilometres from the crash site, with diversions now in place. More to come.
News.com.au
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Two people fighting for life after head-on crash on Mary Valley Hwy, Queensland
Three people have been seriously injured, two critically, following a devastating head-on crash on a highway south of Gympie. Emergency crews rushed to the scene on the Mary Valley Hwy at Gildora, near the intersection with Ashton Rd, just after 11.45am on Friday. Police believe two vehicles, including a blue Ford ute, collided head-on along the 100km/h stretch, leaving one person trapped in the wreckage. A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said a man in his 60s was taken to Gympie Hospital with potentially life-threatening chest injuries. A man in his 20s was flown to a southeast Queensland hospital with serious chest injuries, while a third patient, whose age and gender have not yet been confirmed, remained in a critical condition at the scene on Friday afternoon. The Mary Valley Hwy has been closed at Lawson Rd, several kilometres from the crash site, with diversions now in place.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Dad's shocking act after allegedly throwing his baby in a pond
A father charged over the death of his son allegedly woke from a drunken nap 'laughing' and tried to flee the campsite after realising the baby had died. Jaye Lee Walton, 42, faced Ipswich Magistrates Court on Thursday for a bail application five days after the death of his son Reef Hunter Walton on July 12. The fisherman was camping with Reef and his partner Amy Stevenson in Chatsworth Park, near Gympie in southeast Queensland, when the tragedy occurred. Police allegations surrounding the case were heard by Magistrate Robert Walker, with Walton appearing via audiovisual link dressed in prison greens. The trio were driving home to Innisfail, in Far North Queensland, but stopped to rest at the campsite, where Walton was noted to have drunk a four-litre cask of wine while caring for his teething son during the night. When Reef became unsettled on Saturday morning, Walton offered to take him for a walk to the nearby toilet block, the court heard. 'After about 30 minutes, you failed to return so she (Ms Stevenson) went to check,' Mr Walker read from Ms Stevenson's police statement. Ms Stevenson allegedly found Walton asleep near the edge of a pond and Reef 'facedown' in the water, 10metres from the shore. '(She) started screaming at you but realised you were asleep. She entered the water, recovered the child, returned to the bank and commenced CPR,' Mr Walker read. Witnesses at the campsite observed Walton 'smiling or laughing' when he woke up and appeared 'oblivious' to his son's drowning. 'You then fled on foot, but returned due to the actions of bystanders,' Mr Walker said. The magistrate also noted allegations from one witness who claimed to have seen Walton threw his son into the pond. In her statement, Ms Stevenson claimed she was told by a woman: 'The guys were saying they saw him throw him into the water'. Walton's lawyer, Mark Butler, said these were 'hearsay comments' as the alleged witnesses had not given statements to police. He argued his client's actions fell under manslaughter by criminal negligence. Mr Butler added the family had no history with Child Safety and that Walton had an 'amazing' relationship with Reef and was heavily involved in his care. 'There is no allegation than my client has been anything other than a loving father,' he said. The court heard Walton is a 'high-functioning alcoholic' and at serious risk of harming himself if released on bail. While Walton does not have a significant criminal history, he has multiple alcohol-related traffic violations. He initially agreed to undergo an alcohol breath test following his son's death, but failed to complete it. Magistrate Walker refused Walton bail, finding his release would likely be 'endangering the safety or welfare' of others due to his alcoholism. Walton will return to court on August 4. Police inquiries into the incident are ongoing and officers are still looking to speak to some alleged witnesses. 'There is still a question mark from the officer's perspective, at least, as to the veracity of the statement of someone saying they saw him (Mr Walton) throw (Reef) in,' police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Michael Read said.
News.com.au
17-07-2025
- News.com.au
‘Saw him throw him into the water': Witness claim at bail application for manslaughter-accused dad
A father charged with the manslaughter of his seven-month-old son following a drowning at a campsite woke up 'laughing' and attempted to flee when he realised the child had died, a court has been told. Police allegations surrounding Jaye Lee Walton's case were revealed during a bail application before Ipswich Magistrates Court on Thursday. Dressed in prison greens, Mr Walton did not react beyond acknowledging his name to Magistrate Robert Walker when he was beamed into court via audiovisual link. The 42-year-old fisherman is charged with the manslaughter of his baby son, Reef Hunter Walton, on July 12. The court was told Mr Walton, his partner Amy Stevenson and Reef camped overnight at Chatsworth Park, near Gympie, while travelling home to Innisfail in Far North Queensland. Reading from material filed for the bail affidavit, Magistrate Walker said Mr Walton was alleged to have consumed all of a 4 litre cask of wine the night before and still cared for his son – who was teething – through the night. The next morning, at breakfast, Reef became unsettled and Mr Walton said he would take the child for a walk to the toilet block and clean him up, Mr Walker said. 'After about 30 minutes, you failed to return, so she (Ms Stevenson) went to check,' Mr Walker read from the material. It is alleged Mr Walton was found asleep, 'lying down' at the edge of a pond and Reef was 'face down', 10m out in the water. '(She) started screaming at you, but realised you were asleep,' Mr Walker said. 'She entered the water, recovered the child, returned to the bank and commenced CPR.' Mr Walker read from Ms Stevenson's statement filed to the court, saying Mr Walton was observed to be 'smiling or laughing' when he woke up and appeared 'oblivious' to what had occurred. 'You then fled on foot, but returned due to the actions of bystanders,' Mr Walker said. The court was told Mr Walton – who was described as a 'high-functioning alcoholic' – agreed to provide a breath sample to police but then 'failed to do so'. Defence lawyer Mark Butler said his client's case fell into the category of manslaughter by criminal negligence, telling the court Child Safety had never been involved with the family. 'There is no allegation than my client has been anything than a loving father,' Mr Butler said. He pointed to Ms Stevenson's statement, which outlined how Mr Walton was heavily involved in caring for Reef, letting his partner sleep and describing the father's relationship with his son as 'amazing'. Magistrate Walker questioned how the alleged offence could be categorised as criminal negligence due to witnesses claiming Mr Walton was seen throwing his son into the water. He said Ms Stevenson claimed in her statement one woman told her: 'The guys were saying they saw him throw him into the water.' Mr Butler said these were 'hearsay comments' as those alleged witnesses had not given statements. The court was told police inquiries were still ongoing and officers were yet to speak to some alleged witnesses who may have been at the park. 'There is still a question mark from the officer's perspective, at least, as to the veracity of the statement of someone saying they saw him (Mr Walton) throw (Reef) in,' police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Michael Read said. The court was told Mr Walton had a traffic history containing multiple alcohol-related incidents but did not have a significant criminal history. Magistrate Walker refused bail, finding there was a risk of Mr Walton 'endangering the safety or welfare' of persons as a high-functioning alcoholic. He also pointed to alleged statements Mr Walton made after Reef's death, including: 'Well there's nothing else left'. The court was told Mr Walton allegedly put his head through the wall of the watch house interview room and had expressed thoughts of suicide and self-harm. 'There is good evidence that if released on bail, you would be a danger to yourself,' Mr Walker said. Mr Walton will return to court on August 4.
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS New details emerge about man charged with manslaughter over the tragic drowning of a seven-month-old baby
The Queensland dad charged over the death of his seven-month-old baby boy who drowned in a lake at a popular camping spot has been identified. Jaye Lee Walton, 42, didn't appear in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Wednesday when his matter was heard for the first time. His lawyer Mark Butler indicated that his client would make a bail application when the matter returns to court on Thursday. Walton will remain in custody for a second night. He was charged with manslaughter on Tuesday, three days after a baby boy was pulled from the water at a campsite at Chatsworth, near Gympie, on Saturday morning. Multiple witnesses, including the mother, performed CPR on the baby before he was rushed to Gympie Hospital, where he died later that night. Queensland Police has released footage of Walton's arrest in the Ipswich suburb of Bundamba. A makeshift memorial dedicated to 'Joey' has since been set up at the Chatsworth campsite 213km away. 'RIP little one' a large banner read. Acting Police Commissioner Shane Chelepy described the baby's death was 'absolutely tragic'. 'My heart really does go out to everyone involved in that, including the emergency workers and the police that had to attend that job,' he told ABC Radio.
