Monthly Archives: September 2016

Police investigate fatal crash – Buchanan

Police are investigating a fatal crash between a truck and a motorcycle in the State’s Central Hunter last night.

About 11pm (Monday, 19 September 2016), emergency services were called to the Hunter Expressway, Buchanan, following reports of a crash.

Initial investigations suggest a Kawasaki motorcycle was travelling east on the Highway when the rider left the roadway, crashed into a fence and came to rest on the road.

A semi trailer, driven by a 39-year-old man, also travelling east, crashed into the motorcycle and rider.

The rider of the bike, a man believed to be aged in his 20s, died at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified.

No one else was injured during the incident.

A crime scene was established and investigations into the crash are continuing. A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Police investigate fatal crash – East Maitland

Police are investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash in East Maitland yesterday.

Shortly before 10am (Monday 19 September 2016), emergency services were called to the New England Highway, East Maitland, following reports of a car submerged in a creek.

Initial investigations suggest a Ford Falcon, was travelling west on the highway when it left the roadway, crashed through a fence and landed in Wallis Creek.

The 47-year-old male driver died at the scene.

A report will now be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Teenager stabbed following altercation – Caves Beach

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident at Caves Beach overnight where a teenager was stabbed.

About 9.45pm on Saturday 17 September 2016, police believe that a group of teenagers had gathered for a party at a beach known at Spoon Rocks near Caves Beach.

A 15-year-old boy became involved in a verbal argument with another male party goer who produced a knife.

A fight ensued during which the 15-year-old boy was stabbed once to the lower left abdomen.

Following the fight the unknown assailant and several other party goers fled from the area.

The injured youth was assisted by his friends to a nearby home where emergency services were contacted.

The boy was treated by Ambulance Paramedics and conveyed to John Hunter Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and remains in a serious but stable condition.

Officers from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command attended and established a crime scene with several items seized for forensic analysis.

Woman in early 20’s pinged at 161 km/h with kids in car

A WOMAN in her early 20s was clocked speeding at 161km/h on the Hume Highway near Jugiong on Wednesday afternoon with two young children in her car.

Gundagai Highway Patrol officers received complaints of a motorist driving erratically on the Sturt Highway shortly after 2pm.

Police then located the woman excessively speeding on the Hume before they pulled her over.

She was issued with a court attendance notice and received thousands of dollars in fines.

Investigation into death of Carly McBride continues – Strike Force Karabi

Police investigating the death of Carly McBride have executed a third crime scene warrant in the Hunter Valley Local Area Command.

Carly McBride, 31, was last seen on Calgaroo Avenue at Muswellbrook about 2pm on Tuesday 30 September 2014. Her remains were discovered near Scone on Sunday 7 August 2016.

Officers attached to strike force Krabi, assisted by Forensic Services Group (FSG), executed a crime scene warrant at a third property – a storage shed in Scone – this week.

A number of items contained on the premises were located and seized, including five firearms, a large quantity of ammunition and various prohibited weapons. All items will be examined by forensic investigators.

Detectives have been investigating Ms McBride’s disappearance under Strike Force Karabi and are treating her disappearance and death as suspicious.

As inquiries continue, police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.

Police investigate fire at licensed club – Armidale

A crime scene has been established following a fire that has destroyed a licensed club in Armidale early this morning.

Just after 5.30am (Friday 16 September 2016), police responded to reports of a fire at the club on Beardy Street.

Emergency services attended to find the premises well alight. Fire & Rescue NSW extinguished the blaze; however, the club was completely destroyed.

Police established a crime scene and an investigation will commence into the circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire.

Hume Highway 130km/h speed limit increase push by Victorian MP

A Victorian state politician has called for an inquiry into speed limits in the state, calling on limits on the Hume Highway to be lifted to 130km/h in some places.

Liberal MP for Benambra, Bill Tilley, says it is time for an inquiry into raising speed limits on certain highways in Victoria, in particular a shift from 110km/h to 130km/h on the Hume Highway, and 100km/h to 110km/h on the Princes Highway between Geelong and Melbourne.

“What I am doing is challenging our statutory bodies, our road-safety experts, and everybody, to challenge themselves,” Mr Tilley told Wheels.

“We see in parts of western society and Europe that you can travel safely at 130km/h during good conditions and down to 110km/h in wet conditions. And certainly their roads aren’t necessarily any better than what we have got here – particularly the Hume highway I am advocating.

“We have some differences with wildlife and that sort of thing, but these are challenges we can minimise.”

Hume -freewayMr Tilley spent 12 years as an active member of the Victorian Police, three of which were with the Highway Patrol on the Hume Highway.

The Liberal MP says it is time there was an inquiry into speed limits in the state, and says there are larger contributing factors to road trauma.

“For decades now we have simply been sticking to the default position and saying ‘speed kills’. Now I know as a member of the police, and working for a short time with the highway patrol, it is not always just speed that is the major contributing factor to fatalities and injury, both serious and minor,” he added.

“I have firsthand experience in fatalities, and they are tragic, they always will be, but that is not to say we shouldn’t challenge ourselves, particularly when road safety agencies are demanding and wanting taxpayers money to put in good infrastructure.”

The member for Benambra says with cars being safer than ever, now is the time to have a serious discussion about speed on major highways.

“We have a whole lot of bureaucrats that spend a lot of time overseas going to conferences and those sorts of things, and having conversations about road safety.

“Well, it is about time that you don’t just continue to crawl under a rock, and challenge ourselves to see if we can come up with a good public policy, using the good resources of the taxpayer that can both economically and safely ensure that our motoring public can travel safely between point A and point B.

“I know no inquiry has ever been done specifically on speed. I know there is plenty of research, and there is plenty more research that needs to be done, and that the old adage that speed kills needs to be challenged.”

“We are in a nanny state where the emphasis is you set your cruise control below the posted speed limit on these roads to avoid being intercepted by hard working police men and women under a policy where you are fined for travelling just a couple of km/h over the speed limit,” he added.

“It is quite often that it is not deliberate, perhaps it is just opportunistic or by accident, but certainly a couple of kilometres over the speed limit is not going to see our road toll significantly increase.”

Tilley stresses he is not being reckless with his recommendation, and is attempting to push a common sense approach, admitting that in some instances an inquiry might recommend lowering speed limits in certain sections.

“I take road safety very seriously,” he said. “I was a serving member of the Victorian Police, and I was on the Hume Highway Patrol, spending many, many hours out there. But the thing is we have to strive to continue to do better.

“I hate, hate, seeing trauma on our roads, but in this day and age, with improvements in engineering and what not, we deserve better.”

Speed -cameras -on -highwayThe MP is putting the call out for people to speak up and put pressure on the government, the police force, and road safety bodies to consider starting a proper discussion on the topic.

“I can’t do this on my own, I am a member of the Liberal party, and it is not the Liberal or Coalition position in Victoria [to raise speed limits],” he admits.

“But certainly I am not a fence-sitter, and I know I can’t do this on my own. It needs the community and public and road safety experts to speak up. It requires everyone to not sit silently on their hands, but actually get up and say something and advocate for an inquiry to take place.”

John Lambert is one road safety expert who backs Tilley’s stance, saying we should be allowing drivers to drive at speeds they deem appropriate for the conditions.

“80-percent of responsible drivers complete 99.999-percent of trips without a crash, or alternately have a crash rate of one in 72,000 trips (or one crash per 825,000 km travelled). And for the 30-percent of very responsible drivers, they complete 99.9994-percent of trips without a crash, or alternately have a crash rate of one in 180,000 trips (or one crash per 2,000,000 km).”

Lambert strongly opposed the strict speed enforcement stance adopted by Victoria Police.

Despite all this, Tilley’s calls may have already fallen on deaf ears. Victorian premier Daniel Andrews said yesterday that the Liberal state government has no plans to raise the speed limit on the Hume Highway to 130km/h.

“I am always happy to have a debate and a discussion about all sorts of issues, I tend to take my advice though on road safety matters from Victoria Police, from places like the Monash University Accident Research Centre, places like the TAC,” he said.

“Many people have views and opinions, that fine, but we have no plans to change our speed limit to 130km/h.”

Police appeal for information after woman threatened in car – Newcastle

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a woman was threatened in her car by a man who demanded to be driven through Newcastle, and another man was assaulted yesterday.

The 39-year-old woman told police she was stopped in traffic on Loma Street, Waratah, about 5.30pm (Wednesday 14 September 2016), when a man entered her car and demanded she drive.

The woman complied and drove through Waratah and into Mayfield where the man left the vehicle and walked into a supermarket car park on Beaumont Street.

The woman drove from the area and contacted police. She was not injured during the incident.

A short time later, a 22-year-old man reported he was assaulted by a man who hit him in the throat outside the supermarket.

Police would now like to speak to anyone who witnessed either incident or has information about a man they would now like to speak to.

He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in his late 30s, about 175cm tall with a medium/muscular build, a tanned complexion, short brown hair with short trimmed facial hair, and distinctive deep blue eyes.

He was wearing dark-coloured “skinny” jeans, a black hooded jumper, white dress shoes with three blue stripes, a distinctive charcoal-coloured wool-style ‘Golf’ cap, and was carrying a dark duffel bag.

Investigation into death of Carly McBride continues – Strike Force Karabi

Police investigating the death of Carly McBride have executed two crime scene warrants in the Hunter Valley Local Area Command.

Carly McBride, 31, was last seen on Calgaroo Avenue at Muswellbrook about 2pm on Tuesday 30 September 2014. Her remains were discovered near Scone on Sunday 7 August 2016.

The officers attached to the strike force, assisted by Forensic Services Group (FSG) and Police Dog Unit, executed two crime scene warrants at a home in Musswellbrook and a rural property in Scone.

A number of items contained on the premises have been examined by forensic investigators.
Detectives have been investigating Ms McBride’s disappearance under Strike Force Karabi and are treating her disappearance and death as suspicious.

As inquiries continue, police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.

Three three p-plate drivers caught speeding near Goulburn

POLICE caught three p-plate drivers exceeding the speed limit near Goulburn on Friday, September 9.

At 6.25 am on that day, a black Subaru Forrester was detected by the Goulburn Highway Patrol travelling at 152 km/h on the Hume Highway near Goulburn.

The 18-year-old driver from Saratoga held a P1 licence, restricting his speed to 90 km/h.

He was issued with a $2350 infringement notice and his licence was immediately suspended for six months.

At 7.05 am on September 9 another black Subaru Forrester was detected on the Hume Highway near Marulan travelling at 162 km/h. The 19-year-old drive from Dee Why was the holder of a P2 licence, restricting his speed to 100 km/h.

He was also issued with a $2350 infringement notice and his driver’s licence was immediately suspended for six months. The female passenger took over the driving and they continued south.

Then at 7.40 am the second black Subaru Forrester was again detected speeding at 120 km/h in Goulburn. The vehicle was stopped and the 20-year-old woman driver from Curl Curl held a P2 licence, restricting her speed to 100 km/h. She was issued with a $265 infringement notice.

Police said neither driver of the Subaru’s owned the vehicle. Therefore, no vehicle sanctions were applied.