July 2, 2020
Kingaroy police will recommend a Gold Coast teenager receive a bravery award after he pushed a nine-year-old girl out of the way of an out-of-control car.
The incident occurred in Kingaroy Street on Monday morning when an elderly driver suffered a suspected medical episode while reversing out of a car parking space.
His 4WD sped across the road, hitting another vehicle before jumping the kerb and scattering pedestrians on the footpath.
It then crashed backwards through plate glass at the front of the Lifeline Furniture store.
Fortunately no one was seriously injured in the incident.
Officer-in-charge of Kingaroy Police, Senior Sergeant Dave Tierney, said it could well have been a tragedy.
He praised the young man, Lewis Symonds, 14, for his quick thinking and reflexes in getting Ruby Hamilton, 9, to safety as the Nissan sped towards him.
Lewis’ aunt, Jenny Seesink, told southburnett.com.au Lewis and Ruby were part of a holiday group – 23 people from four Brisbane and Gold Coast families – who had come to the South Burnett to spend five nights at the Bunya Mountains.
They had decided to visit Kingaroy on Monday “just to have a look around” when the incident occurred.
Some of the group were walking across the road, while others were on the footpath when “it all went a bit crazy”, Jenny recalled.
Jenny said she was crossing the road as the 4WD tore across in reverse, “going at great speed”, before hitting a yellow ute.
“It made an almighty bang,” Jenny said.
Jenny’s son Jake, 13, and another member of the group, Rafferty Brown, 10, were on the footpath with Lewis and Ruby.
Jake and Rafferty had time to run away while Lewis grabbed Ruby and pushed her out of the way.
“It would have been a very different story if he had not hit that ute,” Jenny said.
Jenny admitted the group’s holiday had been a disaster …
“After that our car broke down – that’s a $4000 repair – and then on Tuesday one of the girls with us broke her hand,” she said.
“She was in hospital getting a cast on, and then yesterday a girl fell out of a tree and has possibly cracked a rib and got a mild concussion …
“So to be honest, we’re not sure we going to come back!” she laughed.
But Jenny said they were all just thanking their lucky stars, as Monday’s episode could have been a lot worse.
- Related article: 4WD Crashes Into Shop
We will be forever grateful to you Lewis for pulling our Ruby away from certain injury or worse. Thank you isn’t enough. 🥇🥇🥇