Upper Coomera fatal crash claims three lives

Posted by Trudie Dory on Sunday, May 19, 2024

A paramedic who fought to keep three people alive following a horrific two-car crash on the northern Gold Coast has told of the “distressing scene”.

Four people were involved in the two car head on Rifle Range Rd at Upper Coomera at 6pm on Sunday, three of whom died.

The male driver and female passenger died at the scene, and a second passenger was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital where he later “succumbed to injuries”, High Acuity Response Unit Paramedic Gary Berkowitz said.

“That patient received some advanced clinical procedures for significant injuries,” he said.

“Procedures typically done at hospital were done on the roadside.”

A fourth patient, a 28-year-old man who was driving the second vehicle, was taken to the same hospital in a serious condition with pelvic injuries.

Mr Berkowitz said it had taken up to 30 minutes for fire crews to free one patient from the wreckage as he described the harrowing scene.

“We as paramedics are often called to the worst half-hour of somebody’s life,” he said.

“Our job is to make it better in any way for those in pain and suffering … it’s often quite confronting.”

He said some bystanders had been treated for shock after they tried to keep victims alive.

“It was quite confronting with members of the public assisting those who are injured,” he said.

“Good people did their best to help those who were injured and in pain and suffering.”

It comes as the Courier Mail reports a parent of the sole survivor took to Facebook to plead for drivers to slow down.

“My son was driving home from work and was hit by the other car that was estimated to be doing over 150k’s an hour killing, I believe all the occupants in that car,” the post said.

The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating whether speed was a factor in the crash.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage is urged to contact police.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7zZqroqeelrlwvdSenKernJa7pXvNnq6sZ6CkuaqvxGagp66VqMGqs8CtoKefXZaztbHRZquhqpWaeqW1xGagp2WXpLmlecKomKysXZ2yorDOp2Scp5yhtrS1zqdmp52nqHq0wM6rsGhwYmZ%2FcbGQnptramOahXh%2FkJtucp1iaoJyrcWcbJueYA%3D%3D