The partner of a pedestrian killed this morning in Sydney reportedly learned of her death after recognising the handbag laying next to her sheet-cloaked body.
Danielle McGrath was crossing the road at The Kingsway on her way to Caringbah Train Station at around 7:30 Tuesday morning when she was tragically struck by a prime mover, reports The Daily Telegraph.
The driver, a 59-year-old man, has been charged with dangerous driving, occasioning death. Police will allege he drove through a red light.
A local shop owner told The Daily Telegraph the 26-year-old’s partner was driving nearby when he became aware of the accident and approached the scene on foot.
“He was stuck in the traffic and tried to call her mobile but when she didn’t answer he left his car and ran to the scene,” the shop owner said.
“It would have been horrible for him to see her lying there on the road, and I think he recognised it was her when he spotted her handbag lying on the road.”
The scene was reportedly left untouched for several hours while police conducted preliminary investigations – a decision that has outraged a number of locals and witnesses.
A comment on The Daily Telegraph's Facebook page.
One truck driver who passed the scene twice this morning - at 8 and 10am - told the paper that it was "inexcusable" the body left in plain sight for so long.
"It just didn’t look right, and I feel for the family and for the deceased,” he said.
“Her bag and things were scattered on the road and I think a lot of schoolchildren and elderly passing by would have been dismayed by this.”
Alan Rojas was a passenger in a nearby vehicle when then the accident occurred and rushed to render assistance. But it was already too late.
"I ran to the woman’s aid, but there was nothing anyone could do. It must have been almost instantaneous," he told The Daily Telegraph.
"I just looked at the driver, and shook my head."
Witnesses saw the truck driver burst into tears at the scene, before he was taken to Sutherland Hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.
He will face court on December 8.
Trump Appoints Former Competitor Into His Administration
The Quicky