Charges laid over horror head-on crash near Junee

POLICE will allege a driver involved in a horror head-on crash that left a woman fighting for life and shut the Olympic Highway near Junee for 10 hours was drunk and on the wrong side of the road.

The 24-year-old man has now been charged following a months-long investigation into the late-night collision between a Toyota Corolla and a Mercedes hatchback at Marinna, about 10 kilometres northeast of Junee, shortly after 10pm on Saturday, December 13.

Police allege the man crossed onto the incorrect side of the highway before the devastating crash, which left the female driver of the Mercedes — a 36-year-old woman — with life-threatening injuries.

She was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken by road ambulance to Junee, where a Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter from Canberra with a specialist medical team was waiting at Laurie Daley Oval.

She was later transported to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital in a critical condition, with a doctor from the helicopter travelling in the ambulance.

The 24-year-old Corolla driver was also taken to Wagga Base Hospital, but in a stable condition.

A doctor from the Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter accompanied the critically-injured woman in the ambulance: © The Junee Bulletin

The crash scene was one of chaos, with both vehicles heavily damaged and debris strewn across the Olympic Highway as emergency services mounted a major response involving NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW, the Junee Rescue Squad and the Junee Rural Fire Brigade.

In the immediate aftermath, members of the public were praised for their “calm and compassionate” actions after rushing to help before emergency crews arrived.

Junee Rescue Squad volunteers later said those first on scene played an instrumental role in the early care of the injured patients, describing the response as an example of “community spirit and service at its finest”.

The force of the collision shut the Olympic Highway in both directions for more than 10 hours while specialist crash investigators examined the scene and both vehicles were seized for forensic examination.

Traffic was diverted via Temora using Goldfields Way and Burley Griffin Way before the highway reopened shortly before 9am on Sunday.

Following inquiries, police this week confirmed the 24-year-old had been charged with a string of serious offences, including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm while under the influence, and negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

The man is also charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, failing to keep left of the dividing line, and two counts of middle-range PCA.

He has been issued a court attendance notice and is due to appear before Junee Local Court on Wednesday, May 13.