A Christmas road tragedy that touched the community when a mother and her daughter were killed driving to see Santa, will be the subject of a coronial enquiry in Bathurst.
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Coroner John Van Uum was asked by members of the Millthorpe family of Lucinda Cara de Vries, 34, and daughter, Ellen Casey de Vries, 4, to conduct the inquest.
Mr Van Uum advised this week that he has set aside two days to hear evidence on Thursday and Friday, June 7-8 at Bathurst Court House.
Mr Van Uum will enquire into the circumstances surrounding the accident when a late model Ford Station wagon, collided with a truck on the Guyong Road, not far from a turn off on the Mitchell Highway between Bathurst and Orange on Wednesday, December 15, 1999.
The corner will attempt to reach conclusions as to the cause of the accident and causes of death of the young mother and daughter.
Mrs de Vries was driving from Millthorpe with Ellen and 18-month old Josie de Vries, who escaped unscathed in a horrific crash about 9am. Mrs de Vries intended taking her children to meet Santa in Bathurst.
Police said at the time it appeared the family's wagon may have clipped the front bullbar of truck travelling in the opposite direction. The wagon rolled several times landing on its roof by the roadside.
Ellen de Vries was secured in a child restraint and died at the scene of the accident.
Mrs de Vries was critically injured and trapped in the wreckage as police, ambulance and State Emergency Service crews raced against time to release her. Mrs de Vries died in Orange Base Hospital.
The circumstances of the accident had a traumatic impact on rescue services involved in the rescue of Mrs de Vries. Counsellors were called to debriefing of personnel who attended the accident scene.
The truck was driven by a 50-year-old Wollongong man who was in deep shock after the crash, which stunned the small community of Millthorpe and a wider community in the lead-up to Christmas.
Communities in the Central West rallied to contribute to a fund for the grieving members of the de Vries family.
There were also questions asked at the time of the accident, about sign posting on the Vittoria side of the Vittoria-Guyong Road.
Cabonne Council answered criticism about the removal of 10 tonne limit signs on the road. Cabonne and Blayney councils were to liaise on the issue.
The Member for Orange, Russell Turner also entered the debate calling for reinstatment of weight limit signs on the Vittoria-Guyong Road.