May 25, 2014
The RACQ CareFlight helicopter landed on the New England Highway this morning to allow paramedics to treat three people injured in a head-on smash – involving three vehicles – which occurred between Crows Nest and Cooyar.
The highway was blocked for more than three hours while emergency crews worked to free the 59-year-old driver of a 4WD Mitsubishi Triton utility.
The man, from Granville, was flown to the PA hospital with multi-trauma injuries. A CareFlight spokesman said he travelled in a critical but stable condition.
His wife was taken by road ambulance to Toowoomba Base Hospital with less serious injuries.
A 60-year-old female driver, from Glenhaven, in another vehicle involved in the incident, was taken by ambulance to Toowoomba Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening arm and leg injuries.
The driver of a third vehicle is not believed to have been injured.
The other two vehicles were a Nissan XTrail and a Holden Vectra.
A police spokesman said initial investigations indicated a vehicle travelling south towards Crows Nest crossed into the northbound lane.
A second vehicle, travelling north, is believed to have taken evasive action.
The first vehicle collided with the 4WD ute that was travelling behind the second vehicle.
However during the crash, the second vehicle was also clipped by the first vehicle, causing minor damage.
The New England Highway was reopened to traffic about 1:00pm.
The Police Forensic Crash Unit is investigating.
[UPDATED 9:30pm]
