Elderly Driver Charged in Australia Following Fatal Car Crash
Melbourne, Dec 11: An elderly driver has been charged by police in Australia after a car crash in Victoria state last month resulted in the death of five Indian-origin individuals and numerous injuries.
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The 66-year-old man allegedly drove his SUV into the beer garden of the Royal Daylesford Hotel, where ten people from three families were gathered to celebrate their weekend on November 5. The Victoria Police’s Major Collision Investigation Unit (MCIU) has charged the driver with five counts of culpable driving causing death, two counts of negligently causing serious injury, and seven counts of reckless conduct endangering life.
The driver, identified as William Swale, appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday. According to reports, Swale was driving along Albert Street in Daylesford when he missed a right-hand bend, mounted the curb, and struck several patrons sitting outside the Royal Daylesford Hotel.
The crash resulted in the deaths of Vivek Bhatia (38), his son Vihan (11), Pratibha Sharma (44), her daughter Anvi (nine), and her partner Jatin Chugh (30). Sharma’s nine-year-old daughter, Anvi, was taken to the hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. Five other individuals, including Bhatia’s wife, Ruchi (36), their younger son Abeer (six), and an 11-month-old child, were also hospitalized for treatment.
The Victoria Police confirmed that the 11-month-old baby, a 43-year-old woman, and a 38-year-old man have been discharged from the hospital. Swale, who is an “insulin-dependent diabetic,” was admitted to medical care after the collision and was interrogated by the police on November 7. It was determined that he did not have alcohol in his system, and he was subsequently released.
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Swale’s lawyer, Martin Amad, described him as a family man with no criminal history and stated that his client was deeply distressed by the incident. Following the crash, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton addressed the media, expressing condolences and describing the incident as “an absolute tragedy.”
The investigation into the car crash is ongoing, and Swale will face further legal proceedings. The families affected by this devastating incident continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones.
