A THREE-YEAR-old has been left motherless after a horrific car crash that claimed the life of her mum and a second woman on Saturday.
The 35-year-old Dale’s Creek woman was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne after a head-on crash on the Hamilton Highway near Penshurst, suffering traumatic head injuries and multiple fractures. She was placed in a coma but died about 10pm on Saturday.
Dale’s Creek is about 15 kilometres north-east of Ballan.
The three-year-old daughter was in the 1999 Mitsubishi sedan with her mother when the collision took place. She was taken to hospital with minor injuries. She was discharged yesterday. A hospital spokesperson said her injuries mostly related to bruising from her seatbelt.
The spokesperson noted it was remarkable the three-year-old had suffered such minor injuries in an accident that killed two people. The second woman, 63, believed to be Beverley Taberner from the Geelong suburb of Leopold, died at the scene. She was travelling in a 2010 Toyota sedan. Hamilton police Sergeant Peter Freeman said Mrs Taberner’s husband, John Taberner, was taken to Hamilton Hospital for observation, after travelling in a separate car behind his wife when the accident occurred. He was released yesterday morning.
The fatalities take Victoria’s road toll to 148, compared to 169 at the same time last year.
– Warrnambool Standard
patrick.nolan@thecourier.com.au