Car carrying 10 children in horror crash

[DJR-351]

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopS...es_647114.html

Madness.....

Saturday, August 06, 2011 » 12:42pm

The unlicensed driver of a four-wheel drive that rolled over while carrying 10 children in Victoria's west has returned a positive breath test.

Paramedics say the two adults and 10 children who were crammed into the vehicle when it rolled over on Friday afternoon are lucky to be alive.

Ten children, ranging in age from infancy to seven years old, were taken to hospital following the crash in Rockbank.

One of the children suffered a badly broken leg while another suffered suspected internal injuries, said paramedic Peter Norbury.

The driver of the vehicle, a 34-year-old Epping woman, produced a positive preliminary breath test at the scene, police said.

She was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital for observation.

Police are awaiting the results of a blood alcohol analysis before interviewing the woman in relation to criminal and traffic offences.

Her 32-year-old male passenger was arrested at the scene of the crash for public drunkenness.

The vehicle is believed to have left the road and rolled several times before it was found resting on its side by emergency services.

Mr Norbury said the occupants of the car had suffered a range of injuries including fractures, grazing and chest and abdominal injuries.

He said the children were shaken by the accident.

'Initially the children were understandably very upset after what had been a major event; there was a lot of force in the accident,' he said.

'They received considerable shock and, for some of them, considerable injuries.

'They did, however, manage to settle quickly and were remarkably stoic.

'I think that we're fortunate that the injuries weren't more severe and that there were no fatalities in there.'

Five of the children were taken to the Royal Children's Hospital and the remaining five to Sunshine Hospital for observation.

Police have seized the Pajero for examination.