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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Olivia Ireland

Second fatal crash in Canberra in less than 24 hours

A fatality occurred on Friday evening in the Belconnen region. Picture: Keegan Carroll

The ACT has suffered its second road death within 24 hours during National Road Safety Week.

A Subaru WRX Clubsport hit a light pole while appearing to drive southbound on Kingsford Smith Drive, and lost control of the vehicle near Verbrugghen Street At about 5.25pm on Friday.

It's believed the driver was speeding down the road, lost control and crossed the median strip to hit a tree and then a power pole and came to rest about 85 metres on the opposite side of the road.

There were two people in the car. The driver is believed to have died while the passenger has been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

ACT Ambulance and ACT Fire and Rescue have left the scene while an ACT Policing investigation team is conducting an investigation on the road.

ACT Policing confirmed on Twitter there are road closures between Dolling Crescent and Companion Crescent in both directions. In addition, Verbrugghen Street is closed at Chinner Crescent.

Drivers are asked to avoid the area as closures will be in place for several hours.

The road remains extremely dark due to the car hitting a light pole as police investigate the scene.

It's the second serious accident in 24 hours after a horrific head-on fatal collision on Hindmarsh Drive late on Thursday night.

A 20-year-old man was killed in the high speed crash which occurred near the intersection of Tamar Street on Hindmarsh Drive.

In that case, police are searching for a driver who fled the scene of a horrific head-on fatal collision on Hindmarsh Drive late on Thursday night.

A 20-year-old man was killed in the high speed crash which occurred near the intersection of Tamar Street on Hindmarsh Drive around 10.55pm.

A 20-year-old man was killed in the high speed crash which occurred near the intersection of Tamar Street on Hindmarsh Drive around 10.55pm.

Police say the young man killed in the crash was driving home, and an innocent third party in the incident.

The crash scene on Hindmarsh Drive, in which a man aged in his 20s died. Picture: ACT Policing

His westbound vehicle had been hit by one of the speeding vehicles travelling on the wrong side of the dual lane road, eastbound.

Minutes before the crash, police at the Operations Centre in Belconnen had received a report of two vehicles travelling at high speed in the area and are now actively seeking one of the drivers whom they believe saw the crash but did not stop and render assistance.

Such were the high impact speeds involved that even the arrival of paramedics just minutes after the incident failed to save the man's life. He was extracted from the wreckage with life-threatening injuries but died in hospital.

The woman driving the car on the wrong side of Hindmarsh Drive and who hit the deceased man's oncoming vehicle head-on is in a critical condition in hospital. She is yet to be interviewed by police.

Acting Inspector Paul Hutcheson said that the man killed in the crash had been travelling home from work and had not been driving in a dangerous manner.

It is believed he would have had barely seconds before he sighted the speeding car, coming over the crest of the hill, travelling toward him on the wrong side of the road, before the impact occurred.

Police investigators at the horrific scene of the head-on crash on Hindmarsh Drive. Picture: ACT Policing

"It's vitally important we piece together what's happened here," Inspector Hutcheson said.

"A young man has lost his life and another young person is in a critical condition.

"We believe that a third vehicle was involved in the incident and left the scene without stopping to provide any assistance to any injured parties.

"Police would ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, and they can provide that information anonymously if they wish to.

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