Driver charged over passengers death in QLD floods.

Scott · 07-01-2011, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by news.com.au

A TEENAGE boy who's car was swept off a flooded road in central Queensland has been charged over the death of one of his passengers.

The 19-year-old boy from Townsville allegedly drove the car over a flooded causeway on Aramac Torrens Creek Rd, about 67km north of Aramac, on January 2.

The force of waters swept the vehicle, the boy and his 40- and 62-year-old passengers off the road and into Cornish Creek.

The body of the 62-year-old man, believed to be from Ballarat in Victoria, was recovered on Wednesday in Cornish Creek.

The other two survived the ordeal and were treated for shock in hospital.

The 19-year-old driver of the car has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and is due to appear in the Longreach Magistrates Court on February 8.

Ten people so far have died in Queensland's floods.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...#ixzz1AJAfbIUt

I can only assume there is a pretty damning case against this guy but I would have thought they would go for manslaughter too. On another note, since when is 19yo a "boy"??

Trevor 57 · 07-01-2011, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott

I can only assume there is a pretty damning case against this guy.

sounds like he broke a law, went around signs or something

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott

On another note, since when is 19yo a "boy"??

when the aricle was written by a person older

XR6_661 · 07-01-2011, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott

On another note, since when is 19yo a "boy"??

How old is 19, really?

deesun · 07-01-2011, 12:52 PM

The 40 year old and (RIP) 60yr old in the car should take some of the blame also. Too many people needlessly die these days in floods because they think their car is a boat.

XBROO · 07-01-2011, 12:54 PM

They have to start enforcing the law, because to many people are driving past road closed signs. Thinking they can drive through flooded roads and the police and SES workers are flat out enough now, without rescuing these idiots.

Jim Goose · 07-01-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Trev

sounds like he broke a law, went around signs or something

Its called driving without undue care causing death i believe.... you dont have to drive around road blocks to be charged.

He drove into a flooded causeway.... his stupidity caused the death of someone... and yes no doubt his passengers would also be partly to blame as well as they should know better.

Scott · 07-01-2011, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

...and yes no doubt his passengers would also be partly to blame as well as they should know better.

Yes, they are to blame too. Can anyone honestly imagine a 19yo forcefully taking 40 & 62yo men over a flooded road against their will?

Without generalising too much - they would have said "she'll be right mate, just do it". Ultimately he was driving and gets the final say, but there is no way in hell he would have done it against their wishes.... they would have got out if they weren't confident.... imagine the peer-pressure a 19yo could put on two old blokes! Not...

sleek7 · 07-01-2011, 01:39 PM

Dont know the full story, for all we know at this stage is the older ones may have encouraged him to try to get throughl.
To me, any teenager I still consider a boy/girl, regardless of being 18 or 19.
Edit: Scott beat me to it.

Jim Goose · 07-01-2011, 01:56 PM

In a similier case several years ago a 17yr old female P plater was driving home her drunk mother (here in Townsville) and drove around road closed signs right into a flooded causeway.
The car was swept away several hundred meters downstream, the daughter managed to swim to safety but mum was so drunk she was still in the car.
A dangerous night rescue had to be performed..

Its quite possible that the passengers were a little under the weather in this case, as to why would a 19yr old be driving with two older guys in the car?

zdcol71 · 07-01-2011, 02:53 PM

He's a boy at 19, and given that he is facing charges, I would imagine that he is feeling every bit that little boy.
By the ages given it's possible that it is 3 generations of the 1 family.If it is, I guess no sentence the courts impose will come anywhere near the grief he will endure. What a tragedy

The Yeti · 07-01-2011, 03:00 PM

I'm not going to make assumptions as to what happend, its a tragedy

but this is the type of thing I was talking about in another thread before xmas when a forum member was bosting abotu driving over a flooded road.

People the roads flooded, find another way or wait nothings THAT important

Ben73 · 07-01-2011, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott

Yes, they are to blame too. Can anyone honestly imagine a 19yo forcefully taking 40 & 62yo men over a flooded road against their will?

Without generalising too much - they would have said "she'll be right mate, just do it". Ultimately he was driving and gets the final say, but there is no way in hell he would have done it against their wishes.... they would have got out if they weren't confident.... imagine the peer-pressure a 19yo could put on two old blokes! Not...

This exactly.

I reckon if a 40 year old was driving the attitude would of been "Oh that's terrible, sorry for your loss, bet you wont do it again"

But since it's a young guy, probably a P plater, they must be taken down to the full extent of the law.

SO who is getting in trouble for killing the other 9 people who died during the floods???
Surely some of them died due to someone else making a bad decision for them!

mik · 07-01-2011, 04:04 PM

sadly often people die from being ignorant and cause others to die too, a good percentage of us have to learn the hard way( i`m speaking from experience here).

Bucknaked · 07-01-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben73

This exactly.

I reckon if a 40 year old was driving the attitude would of been "Oh that's terrible, sorry for your loss, bet you wont do it again"

But since it's a young guy, probably a P plater, they must be taken down to the full extent of the law.

Actions causing the loss of life is serious no matter the age of the person. This is not a case of P Plater prejudice. 19 or 40, P-Plate or not is not the point.

Story makes no reference to him being a P Plater, but one would assume considering his age that yes he is a P Plate driver.

**DJM83** · 07-01-2011, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I'm not going to make assumptions as to what happend, its a tragedy

but this is the type of thing I was talking about in another thread before xmas when a forum member was bosting abotu driving over a flooded road.

People the roads flooded, find another way or wait nothings THAT important

Agreed