Vic: Police speak to crash victims' friends

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2007
Vic: Police speak to crash victims' friends

MELBOURNE, Dec 10 AAP - Victoria Police are speaking to a group of friends who were
in a car driving alongside the vehicle involved in last night's fiery crash that killed
four people on a Melbourne freeway.

Major Collisions Investigation Unit head Inspector Richard Watkins said the young people
were helping them with inquiries.

"They will probably continue to help us in the future," Insp Watkins told Southern
Cross Broadcasting.

"They say they knew the driver and they had been with them earlier in the day.

"From there, the story's blurry and we need to make some more inquiries with them."

Insp Watkins said two 18-year-old males and two 17-year-old males were incinerated
in the crash, but no names would be released until probably tomorrow.

"Forensically it's difficult to do a normal identification, the coroner controls that
and it's a scientific process," he said.

He also acknowledged speculation the Holden Commodore in the crash had been in a drag
race at the time.

"We are not in a position to say that's the case," he said.

"We'd like witnesses to tell us if they saw any driver behaviour before the crash.

"We are not able to rule out drugs or alcohol."

Insp Watkins said the car was travelling on the West Gate Freeway in Altona North when
it appeared to have oversteered.

"It cut across the right lanes into the left-hand lane and hit a tree," he said.

He said too many young people died in car crashes and more education was needed, although
the road toll had been falling in recent years.

AAP gr/gfr/srp/cjh/jlw

KEYWORD: TOLL VIC THIRD DAYLEAD

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