It was a horror two days on local roads over the weekend, with six people losing their lives in two separate accidents, including a tragic incident at Daylesford described by police as one the most confronting scenes they’ve attended.
A 47-year-old Maryborough man sadly died in a single car crash near Clunes in the early hours of Saturday morning.
While the circumstances of the crash are still under investigation, according to Victoria Police the man’s vehicle crashed into a creek near the Clunes-Mount Cameron Road sometime overnight from Friday to Saturday.
The driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.
Tragically on Sunday evening, five people, including two children were killed after a car ploughed into Daylesford pub, The Royal Hotel.
Emergency services were called to reports a BMW SUV travelling southwest along Albert Street mounted the kerb and struck a number of patrons on the front lawn area of the premises — on the corner of Albert and Vincent streets — just after 6 pm.
A 38-year-old man and his 11-year-old son, a 30-year-old man and his partner, a 44-year-old woman and her nine-year-old daughter died after the crash.
A male child was flown to hospital with critical injuries, while a man, a woman and another male child were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the BMW, a 66-year-old Mount Macedon man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
At the time of print deadline all victims were yet to be formally identified.
Chief Commissioner Shane Patton addressed media on Monday morning and said it was still “early days” in the investigation — however it is believed the victims were not locals to the area.
“There were many people in the proximity who selflessly came out and aided those who were dying, who needed first aid, and disregarded their own safety,” he said.
“We train [emergency service responders] to attend these scenes, and they attend these scenes regularly.
“But to go to an incident like this that was so confronting, so chaotic and so distressing, you can’t train someone for that.
“I’ve spoken to the head of our road policing area who was at the scene and he described it as one of the worst and most confronting he’d ever been to.”
Commissioner Patton said the driver of the BMW remained in hospital and would be interviewed by police on Monday afternoon, but confirmed he is not known to police and has no prior convictions.
He also returned a negative alcohol reading.
