Buxton crash: Grieving dads message to killer driver

Moments before the horrific crash that claimed the lives of five of his friends, Tyrell Edwards did a U-turn on East Parade in Buxton on the sleepy outskirts of Sydneys southwest. He was recorded going 97kmh in a 60kmh zone as he drove in a northerly direction in his mums Nissan Navara.

Moments before the horrific crash that claimed the lives of five of his friends, Tyrell Edwards did a U-turn on East Parade in Buxton on the sleepy outskirts of Sydney’s southwest.

He was recorded going 97kmh in a 60kmh zone as he drove in a northerly direction in his mum’s Nissan Navara.

His mate Antonio Desisto, 16, sat in the front passenger seat while Summer Williams, 14, Gabriella McLennan, 15, Lily Van de Putte, 14, and Tyrese Bechard, 15, were crammed into the back seat.

Edwards roared up the rural road, reaching speeds of 117.9kmh – nearly double the speed limit – before he lost control and sent the ute hurtling into trees.

The back seat only had seatbelts for three passengers. Summer, Gabriella, Lily and Tyrese were thrown from the wreckage and died at the scene.

Antonio died while hanging upside down in the wreck, still strapped into his seatbelt.

Edwards, 19, was the sole survivor and is facing the prospect of years in jail after he this week pleaded guilty to five counts of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death at a speed more than 45km/h over the limit.

Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.

Speaking outside court on Thursday, Lily’s father, John Van de Putte, said that after hearing Edwards plead guilty and take responsibility for his role in the horrific accident “it’s the first time I’ve actually had a good cry”.

Like every other family who has been touched by the tragedy, Mr Van de Putte is still coming to terms with his tremendous grief – and said he doubted he ever would.

He said he hoped the accident would serve as a line in the sand and reshape the way parents speak to children about their responsibilities when they get behind the wheel.

“As a society we need to learn that driving is a privilege, not a right,” he said.

“As soon as you put that key in the ignition, it’s like putting your finger on a gun.

“We talk to our children about everything else but we don’t talk to our children about being safe in a car.

“I think it’s a discussion we need to have.”

Court documents reveal that Edwards twice had his provisional licence suspended for speeding offences before the accident.

“We need to tell people to stop driving like a d**k,” Mr Van de Putte said.

And with Edwards set to face sentencing proceedings in the coming months, he called for tougher laws and penalties.

“Once you get your licence, you’re going to be treated like an adult,” Mr Van de Putte said.

“Mummy and daddy ain’t going to help you.

“I don’t hate him, I can’t have that in my heart.

“But he needs to pay for the consequences that he’s done to the community and to the families.”

Mr Van de Putte has established a foundation, Think of the Five Arrive Alive, and asked the community to think about the consequences of their actions behind the wheel.

As part of his drive to generate discussion, he asked people to put five balloons out on the first day of every month, and have a chat to their mates and families.

“These are deaths which should not have happened,” he said.

Edwards arrived at court on Thursday surrounded by friends and family carrying umbrellas in an effort to shield his face from the cameras.

Inside, he admitted to being responsible for causing the death of five young people.

Over an hour and 45 minutes on September 6 last year, Edwards drove around the Wollondilly area frequently speeding and hooning.

At one point his car clocked 147km/h, according to a statement of agreed facts tendered to the court.

He picked up Tyrese and Antonio before Lily and Gabriella piled into the car and finally Summer.

He used his mobile phone to film himself while he drove.

In a Snapchat video message sent by Tyrese to Summer, Edwards was heard boasting: “We are going 160 the whole way. The whole way. 160.”

According to court documents, Edwards was doing 117km/h as he lost control of the car in a 60km/h zone.

He veered onto the southbound lane as he spun out of control before crashing into trees.

Tyre marks were found 55m from the first tree that the car hit.

The force of the crash ripped the car apart.

“The rear cabin was torn open and the rear seat ejected from the vehicle,” the court documents state.

The bodies of Tyrese, Gabriella and Summer were found grouped together, while Lily died a few metres away.

An off-duty nurse, one of the first people on the scene, found that Lily was the only victim who still had a pulse.

Lily died at the scene despite the desperate attempts to keep her alive.

Inside the car, Edwards struggled to free himself, eventually pushing the front windscreen out.

“I’m gonna go to jail, I can’t go to jail, I don’t want to go to jail,” he was heard saying at the scene.

Antonio died while trapped hanging upside down wearing his seatbelt in the front passenger seat.

Edwards was taken to a police station where he told officers that he only thought there were two girls in the back seat and he “didn’t even know that there was another person” in the car.

He told officer that the car would sometimes randomly speed up and the steering wheel started “shaking” and he attempted to bring it under control.

Experts could find no evidence of mechanical faults or defects and two mechanics who inspected the ute in the lead-up to the crash found no problems.

Edwards also noted he was “probably” doing the speed limit.

Edwards’ matter will now be transferred to the District Court and he will appear again on August 24 before he ultimately learns his fate.

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