TWO local men, one just 18-years-old, have died in separate vehicle accidents in another deadly week on the state’s roads.
A 42-year-old Hewett man and an 18-year-old Andrews Farm man were killed this week in crashes at Blanchetown and Edinburgh, taking the number of lives lost on the state’s roads to 60.
Major Crash personnel are currently investigating the circumstances of the crash which killed the Hewett man at Blanchetown on Sunday night, after the car he was driving collided with a truck.
Just before 7pm on Sunday, emergency services were called to the Sturt Highway, around 8.5km from Blanchetown after the Hewett man’s car collided head-on with a truck while travelling westward.
The man died at the scene, while the driver of the truck, a 33-year-old Broadview man, was taken to the Lyell McEwin Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Following the crash, a portion of the Sturt Highway was closed for several hours as Major Crash investigators attended the scene.
The Hewett man’s death came just five days after a crash involving a motorcycle and a truck claimed the life of teenager Cooper Cahill at Edinburgh.
At around 8.45am last Wednesday morning, police and emergency services were called to Woomera Avenue after reports of a crash between a motorcycle and a truck.
The motorbike rider died at the scene, while the truck driver, a 59-year-old Hillbank man, was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Mr Cahill’s friends took to social media to pay tribute to the man who was described as a “fun and caring friend”.
“Why is it that the best always go so young?” one friend wrote on Facebook. “You had your full life ahead of you, all you wanted to do was succeed and make people proud.
“Thank you for always brightening our lives the minute you would walk in our front door.
“You are so loved. My heart aches for your family, your brothers, your friends and everyone who was blessed to have known you.”
Woomera Avenue was closed for several hours following the crash as Major Crash Investigators attended the scene.
Mr Cahill was the 12th motorcycle rider to lose their life on SA roads this year.