Gumleaf
January 17th, 2010, 04:39 PM
05:30 AEST Mon Jan 18 2010
By ninemsn staff with AAP
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1000804/brother-shielded-sister-in-fatal-melbourne-crash
One of the youths killed in yesterday's horror crash in Melbourne helped shield his little sister as the car they were in lost control and slammed into a tree.
Anthony Ianetta, 18, shoved 15-year-old Elissa down as the Ford Falcon XR6 hit a median strip, spun out of control then swerved back onto the road before ploughing into a large tree.
"She remembers that … he shoved her head in between his legs to try and protect her," Elissa's mother Rose Sutera told the Herald Sun.
"As they roared around the corner, he gripped the handle above the back seat door — he must have known what was going to happen."
The crash, described by emergency workers as they worst they had ever seen, left Anthony and four of his mates dead and Elissa in hospital.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Tim Cartwright said the driver of the Falcon sedan carrying six people from a party in Ivanhoe at about 1.50am (AEDT) lost control on Plenty Road, Mill Park, in perfect conditions.
Mr Cartwright estimated the vehicle was travelling at 140km/h in an 80km/h zone when it struck and wrapped itself around the tree, which fell onto the car splitting the vehicle apart.
"As far as we can tell the car's doing about 140km/h, just crazy speeds," he told reporters at the scene.
"There are six young people on board, five of them have died instantly.
"How many times do we have to say to people: `Speed kills'?
"This isn't speed, this is just lunacy."
Others killed included driver Steve Johnstone, 19, and his half-brother Will Te-Whare, 15, both of South Morang.
Ben Hall, 19, and Matt Lister, 17, also of South Morang, were killed.
Elissa Ianetta remains in a serious but stable condition in Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Under probationary driver restrictions, Mr Johnstone should have been carrying only one of the young passengers in his car, police confirmed to AAP.
Deputy Commissioner for road policing Ken Lay told the told Fairfax Radio Network Mr Johnstone had previous form for speeding.
"We believe he had a prior conviction for a high speed in the last year or so," Mr Lay said.
"He shouldn't have had passengers in the car, he had a five-seater car with six passengers it ... and as a result we've got five kids dead, a shocking story of a young girl trapped under broken bodies for a long time while we tried to get her out."
He said there was evidence the car was speeding in Ivanhoe earlier in the night.
"... This car was apparently seen a little earlier in the night at 150km/h with a passenger hanging out the window."
Ambulance paramedic Ron McLeod said rescue workers had to lift three of the dead teenagers off the 15-year-old to free her from the wreckage.
"I've been a paramedic for 30 years and this is the most horrific scene I've ever seen," Mr McLeod told reporters.
He said the 15-year-old was "lucky to be alive".
By ninemsn staff with AAP
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1000804/brother-shielded-sister-in-fatal-melbourne-crash
One of the youths killed in yesterday's horror crash in Melbourne helped shield his little sister as the car they were in lost control and slammed into a tree.
Anthony Ianetta, 18, shoved 15-year-old Elissa down as the Ford Falcon XR6 hit a median strip, spun out of control then swerved back onto the road before ploughing into a large tree.
"She remembers that … he shoved her head in between his legs to try and protect her," Elissa's mother Rose Sutera told the Herald Sun.
"As they roared around the corner, he gripped the handle above the back seat door — he must have known what was going to happen."
The crash, described by emergency workers as they worst they had ever seen, left Anthony and four of his mates dead and Elissa in hospital.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Tim Cartwright said the driver of the Falcon sedan carrying six people from a party in Ivanhoe at about 1.50am (AEDT) lost control on Plenty Road, Mill Park, in perfect conditions.
Mr Cartwright estimated the vehicle was travelling at 140km/h in an 80km/h zone when it struck and wrapped itself around the tree, which fell onto the car splitting the vehicle apart.
"As far as we can tell the car's doing about 140km/h, just crazy speeds," he told reporters at the scene.
"There are six young people on board, five of them have died instantly.
"How many times do we have to say to people: `Speed kills'?
"This isn't speed, this is just lunacy."
Others killed included driver Steve Johnstone, 19, and his half-brother Will Te-Whare, 15, both of South Morang.
Ben Hall, 19, and Matt Lister, 17, also of South Morang, were killed.
Elissa Ianetta remains in a serious but stable condition in Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Under probationary driver restrictions, Mr Johnstone should have been carrying only one of the young passengers in his car, police confirmed to AAP.
Deputy Commissioner for road policing Ken Lay told the told Fairfax Radio Network Mr Johnstone had previous form for speeding.
"We believe he had a prior conviction for a high speed in the last year or so," Mr Lay said.
"He shouldn't have had passengers in the car, he had a five-seater car with six passengers it ... and as a result we've got five kids dead, a shocking story of a young girl trapped under broken bodies for a long time while we tried to get her out."
He said there was evidence the car was speeding in Ivanhoe earlier in the night.
"... This car was apparently seen a little earlier in the night at 150km/h with a passenger hanging out the window."
Ambulance paramedic Ron McLeod said rescue workers had to lift three of the dead teenagers off the 15-year-old to free her from the wreckage.
"I've been a paramedic for 30 years and this is the most horrific scene I've ever seen," Mr McLeod told reporters.
He said the 15-year-old was "lucky to be alive".