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Don Bagnall
Moderator New Zealand SLK 230 Kompressor
Posts: 7403 Reg: 05-2005
| Five teens killed in Melbourne crash! Steven Johnstone's Saturday night started to go horribly wrong when gatecrashers arrived at a party he was attending. By 2am, he lay dead by the side of the road at Melbourne's Mill Park along with four others. Police and his friends and family are still trying to make sense of what happened in between. ''He was everything,'' said Johnstone's girlfriend of two years, Natalie Bryant, who was with him at the party. After the gatecrashers arrived, she said, he had decided to move his high-powered 2007 Ford XR6, his pride and joy. He climbed in with his younger half-brother, Will Te-Whare, 15, and four other mates, but was quickly surrounded by five or six men who tried to get him out. According to his girlfriend, Johnstone sped off in anger. Some gatecrashers ran after him while others piled into another car and drove off in pursuit, she said. The apprentice roof tiler was in the car with Will - who friends say wanted to be a rapper and loved the late US artist Tupac - and mates Mathew Lister, 17, Ben Hall, 19, and Anthony Iannetta, 18, and his sister, Elissa, 15, the only survivor. Police Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay said Johnstone, 19, had been seen driving at 150kmh with a passenger hanging out the window. ''The driver was a P-plater, we believe, he had a prior conviction for a high speed in the past year - he should not have had passengers in the car,'' Mr Lay said. ''This was an absolute tragedy waiting to happen.'' Tony Chahine and his distraught wife thought the same thing as the Ford passed them ''like a rocket'' just before 2am. ''I'm shivering as I knew these boys were going to a death trap but we could do nothing,'' said a tearful Mrs Chahine, who did not want her first name used. ''We felt the wind of the car. I'm so sad for these young people. I feel sorry for the parents.'' Shortly after the car hurtled through an intersection, the driver lost control and slid off the road into a large oak tree, the impact splitting the metre-wide trunk in half. After hearing what sounded like a huge explosion, Sam Dunn and Adam Memery looked over their back fence to a scene of carnage. ''There was no noise - that was the scariest part,'' said Mr Dunn. ''There was no scream. It was a mess - there was nothing you could do.'' Another neighbour, Ang Cannon, said: "We get a lot of them racing along here on Friday and Saturday nights as it's such a straight road - it's not the first time there's been an accident". The three ferried buckets of water to motorists who had stopped to help to put out a fire in the remains of the engine. Other drivers were still hooning past the scene with some stopping to film it on their mobile phones, Ms Dunn said. After the fire was out, they could only see the hand and head of the girl in the back and could not tell how many had perished. Veteran paramedic Ron McLeod said even seasoned emergency workers were traumatised by the accident. ''I've been a paramedic for 30 years and and this is the most horrific scene I've ever seen,'' he said. It took 90 minutes to free Elissa Iannetta from the wreckage where she was trapped under the bodies of her brother and his mates. At Royal Melbourne Hospital, where Elissa was last night in a serious but stable condition, her mother Rose said Elissa's last memory of her brother was of him trying to shield her. ''He grabbed her and threw her in between his lap to protect her because he could feel it coming,'' she said. By 10am yesterday, police had removed the car wreckage, and the broken remains of the oak tree had been mulched and carted away. All that was left was a gaping hole where the tree had been and debris from the car and its occupants' young lives. Playing cards were scattered, along with smashed CDs including a copied version of Michael Jackson's Dangerous, a pink make-up case, a doll, a white headband, a P-plate and a crumpled box that had once held pre-mixed vodka drinks. When the first grieving friends began to arrive after 11am, they stared at the scene in disbelief and tried to ignore the blood stains. A nearby tree became a memorial after Taryn, 16, laid the first flowers for her friend, Anthony, known as ''Jockey'' for his small stature. ''He was like my family, my brother,'' she said. ''He was one of the best people you'd ever meet. He just liked partying.'' The stepmother of Steven Johnstone, Jacqueline Johnstone, arrived with his stepbrother, Scott, 9, to comfort his young friends. Still in shock, she said he had visited her only hours before the accident. ''He was a loving boy who had been through a lot of problems,'' she said. He had lost his father to cancer three years ago. Gemma Walters was upset and angry that her friends' lives had been cut short. ''I think it's not fair that they lost their lives at such a young age,'' she said between sobs. ''Anthony was just one of the best people I've ever met and a beautiful person and he didn't deserve to die.'' She said ''Jockey'' was part of a large group of close-knit friends. ''This should show everyone in our whole group that they shouldn't be driving that fast, that's stupid to do that,'' she said. ''Drugs, alcohol and people trying to be heroes.'' Last night, teenagers kept a candlelight vigil at the site. About 20 people gathered around a tree covered with flowers and messages of condolence. The crash came just weeks before Mathew Lister was due to celebrate his 18th birthday with his twin brother on February 5. He liked to work on cars and motorbikes, which he enjoyed riding. ''Mathew was always caring towards his family and close mates,'' his family said in a statement. ''I hope this tragic accident is a warning that it can happen to you, no matter who you are.'' By mid-afternoon, the crowd of mourners numbered 150 and tempers began to fray with some young men threatening television cameramen. The group formed a circle around the makeshift memorial on an oak tree and hugged and cried. A man handed around bourbon drinks while others pulled out spray cans and scrawled their grief on the footpath and tree stump. On Facebook, the social networking website, hundreds of friends yesterday reflected on the young lives lost. A friend of Mathew's, known as Bryce ''Ricardo'' Meeks, summed up the sentiment: ''5 minutes of facebook silence for the 5 boiz we lost at 5pm do it to let it be known how loved all the boiz where and speeding isn't worth the pain and loss.'' RIP |
Damian Ware
Goo Roo Victoria UZZ32
Posts: 1300 Reg: 10-2005
| There are a number of news articles and so called police reports that all paint very different pictures. From previous history ie speeding and court ordered passenger restriction which he has ignored repeat offender and was to go back to court in the near future. From drinking at the gathering then driving afterwards at double the speed limit. IMO the truth is so far lost it is unlikely we will find out what really happened. |
Andrew Duaso
DieHard Victoria G6E turbo
Posts: 525 Reg: 02-2009
| ninjas |
Aaron Mead
Goo Roo NT Celsior 1UZ-FE Mines, JZZ30 1.5JZ-GTE To4z
Posts: 2600 Reg: 03-2006
| Lulz. That is all. |
Aaron Casey
Goo Roo nsw '94 jzz30 gttl, 2 mini's one supercharged
Posts: 1732 Reg: 08-2005
| they keep going on how it was a high performance car.. was a xr6 non turbo.. so next p platers will only be allowed in tiny cars |
Damian Ware
Goo Roo Victoria UZZ32
Posts: 1301 Reg: 10-2005
|
Aaron Casey wrote on Monday, January 18, 2010 - 06:17 pm:they keep going on how it was a high performance car.. was a xr6 non turbo..
Yes they do. Given a Nissan Pulsar N16 can do about 200km/hr 1.3lt Charade one of the lowest powered cars available can still do 170km/hr the car makes no difference. It is all controlled by the person behind the wheel. If he was driving a small 4 cylinder buzz box there would likely be 6 people dead and not 5 with one seriously injured. |
Ali Saeed
Goo Roo WA V8 Limited
Posts: 1738 Reg: 09-2007
| i saw this yesterday, also read about a WRX and Skyline dragging upto 140kph, when they clipped each other and crashed. both people died i think. |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo Vic 66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2098 Reg: 08-2005
| Isn't an XR6 exactly the same as a base model Falcon under the hood? |
Damian Ware
Goo Roo Victoria UZZ32
Posts: 1303 Reg: 10-2005
| Yep exactly. XR6 has rims slightly lowered with stiffer springs and plastic add ons to the body. |
Anika Le
TryHard SA TT 1JZ-GTE
Posts: 350 Reg: 01-2009
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Ali Saeed wrote on Monday, January 18, 2010 - 07:00 pm:also read about a WRX and Skyline dragging upto 140kph, when they clipped each other and crashed. both people died i think.
Correction, the guy in the WRX died as he was flung from his car, guy in the skyline, I think he lost one of his legs. I know because I knew the guy who died... |
Aiden Cheese
TryHard QLD Soarer jzz30
Posts: 309 Reg: 09-2009
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Damian Ware wrote on Monday, January 18, 2010 - 06:53 pm: Yes they do. Given a Nissan Pulsar N16 can do about 200km/hr 1.3lt Charade one of the lowest powered cars available can still do 170km/hr the car makes no difference.
My conviction for going 170 in a 110 zone is proof of the charade 'speed'. I learned that lesson at 17.. i havn't got a speeding fine since. |
Mitchell Howard
Tinkerer Victoria TT
Posts: 31 Reg: 04-2007
| I thought the XR6 had a different ECU to give it a few more KW. Or is that false?? |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo Vic 66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2110 Reg: 08-2005
| False. And yeah I had a 1.7 litre mid 90s Volvo when I was in the UK and it happily did 200. |
Ali Saeed
Goo Roo WA V8 Limited
Posts: 1743 Reg: 09-2007
| top speed depends on gearing..? |
Damian Ware
Goo Roo Victoria UZZ32
Posts: 1304 Reg: 10-2005
| BAC reading has now been released to the public. BAC of 0.19 which indicates the driver was very drunk and all the passengers are very stupid to get in the car with him behind the wheel. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/first-funeral-of-five-for-horror-smash-teens-anthony-iannetta-matt- lister-ben-hall-steve-johnstone-will-te-whare/story-e6frf7jo-1225821450940 http://www.theage.com.au/national/mill-park-crash-driver-was--drunk-say-police-20100120-mjux.html |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo Vic 66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2116 Reg: 08-2005
| Poor families. The media acts like all this is something new. It has been going on since cars were invented. And before that people fell off horses. Kids are always gonna be stupid. Driving is dangerous. |
James Wilson
TryHard sa TT
Posts: 134 Reg: 10-2008
| Agreed Miles, Just got to hope like anything that it doesn't happen to your own kids. |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo Vic 66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2151 Reg: 08-2005
| I don't have nor do I want to have kids. So I'm all set |
Aaron Mead
Goo Roo NT Celsior 1UZ-FE Mines, JZZ30 1.5JZ-GTE To4z
Posts: 2667 Reg: 03-2006
| How bout that L plater and her father on this evenings news? A bit heart wrenching. |
Matt Sartori
TryHard Western Australia Rx7
Posts: 485 Reg: 08-2008
| If the guy had have just been doing donuts this wouldn't have happend. |
Callum Finch
Goo Roo WA Soarer TT & Corolla
Posts: 4637 Reg: 09-2005
| Im somewhat disgusted at how some of the posts in this thread are trying to be comical or debate the importance of how the media described the car. At the end of the day it is just another reason to highlight how people need to be aware of the consequences of driving like an idiot on the roads. I am glad i have gotten over the whole "GOTTA GO FAST! GOTTA BE A HERO!" attitude as it at least decreases the potential for myself or loved ones to be injured in an accident. All the safe driving courses i have done only serve to contribute to my fear of other idiots on the road. If you have ever driven on a highway or freeway in Perth then you will understand why. |
James Wilson
TryHard sa TT
Posts: 140 Reg: 10-2008
| I think it's important for things like this to come up on car forums from time to time....Callum is right the road is not the place and I am sure most people on this forum have all had a friend or relative injured/killed in a motor accident. The type of car is irrelevant it's all mind set. People just need to calm down on the roads. |
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