A man in Australia was charged with manslaughter after he struck seven children while allegedly driving drunk on Saturday, Feb. 1, according to a news release issued by the New South Wales Police Department.
According to the news release, a little before 8 p.m. on Saturday, the emergency services were dispatched to Bettington Road, Oatlands, in Sydney, Australia, after receiving reports of multiple individuals being struck by a vehicle.
“Police have been told the children were on the footpath when a Mitsubishi Triton utility allegedly mounted the kerb and struck the children,” according to the news release.
Seven children were struck by the car, four of whom died at the scene, according to the news release. Three girls aged 8, 11, 12, and a 13-year-old boy were among the children who died. Three other children, an 11-year-old boy and two girls aged 10 and 13 were injured.
The three injured children were treated by the New South Wales Ambulance Paramedics at the scene of the crash before they were transported to the Children’s Hospital in Westmead, according to the news release. The 11-year-old boy’s condition is stable, but he remains in a serious condition. The two injured girls are stable, according to the news release.
“Officers from The Hills Police Area Command established a crime scene, which has been examined by specialist police from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit,” the news release stated.
As indicated by the news release, along with the 29-year-old man driving the vehicle, there was also a 24-year-old man in the passenger seat. Both of the men in the Mitsubishi vehicle were uninjured, according to the news release. Police also performed a breath test on the 29-year-old driver.
Castle Hill Police Station took the 29-year-old into custody, where he was subjected to a further breath analysis, and the tests determined that the 29-year-old had a blood-alcohol level of 0.15—three times more than the legal limit in Australia, according to the news release.
The driver is charged with 20 separate offenses: four counts of manslaughter; four counts of dangerous driving occasioning death—driving under the influence; four counts of dangerous driving occasioning death—driving manner dangerous; dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm—driving under the influence; dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm—driving manner dangerous; two counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct in charge of motor vehicle; negligent driving (occasioning death); negligent driving (occasioning grievous bodily harm); driving with high range PCA; and proceeding through a red traffic light (not toll booth).
The 29-year-old is scheduled to appear at the Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday, Feb. 2.
