NSW police charge man over double fatality near Walcha in January

A man has been charged this week following a crash which claimed two lives near Walcha in January.

About 1.30pm on Thursday 3 January 2019, a Toyota Prado towing a caravan was travelling on the Oxley Highway about 45km east of Walcha, when it struck an Armco railing and a tree.

The front seat passenger, a 72-year-old woman, and rear seat passenger, a 38-year-old man, sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.

The driver, a 58-year-old man, and a 38-year-old female backseat passenger, were taken to Tamworth Base Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Following investigations by police from Northern Tableland Crash Investigation Unit, the driver was charged with eight offences being:

  • Do Act etc Intending to Pervert the Course of Justice,
  • Dangerous Driving Occasioning Death (x2),
  • Negligent Driving Occasioning Death,
  • Dangerous Driving Occasioning GBH,
  • Negligent Driving Occasioning GBH,
  • Towed vehicle weight exceeds capacity of towing attachment,
  • Towed vehicle weight exceeds maximum laden weight.

His licence was suspended, and he was granted conditional bail to appear at Tamworth Local Court on Monday 29 July 2019.

/Public Release. View in full here.