Tragic Final Moments for Queensland Teenager
A seventeen-year-old girl, just one month shy of her eighteenth birthday, experienced her final moments being comforted by a pastor who held her hands after she was fatally struck by a vehicle in southeast Queensland. Olivia Chivers, described by her family as a 'beautiful and gentle' young woman, tragically lost her life in the incident that occurred around 11.25pm on Monday on Margate Parade at Margate, located north of Brisbane.
Charges Filed Following Alleged Hit-and-Run
The vehicle involved was a white Nissan Navara ute, which allegedly struck Olivia and left her with critical injuries. Frank Moneger, 58, has been charged with one count of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and leaving the scene of an incident without obtaining help. Among those who rushed to assist Olivia following the collision was Pastor John Lean, who provided spiritual comfort during her final moments.
'There didn't appear to be any fear in her eyes, there didn't appear to be any pain she was going through,' Pastor Lean told the Courier Mail. Olivia's mother, Tracey Chivers, expressed that she found peace knowing her Christian daughter had been supported by a pastor, describing the timing as 'divine intervention'.
'She was never afraid of dying, because she knew she would go to heaven, so it didn't scare her, not that she wanted to go,' Ms Chivers revealed. The family shared that Olivia's last words to her mother were 'I love you' just hours before the tragedy occurred, when she gave her mother a kiss through a fence.
Community Support and Legal Proceedings
Court documents viewed by News Corp indicate that Moneger allegedly sent a voicemail to a woman's phone minutes after the crash, stating: 'I just killed someone. She's dead, she's dead. Do you know what just happened? It's really bad, it's really bad.' The accused also allegedly told his son he'd 'hit someone last night' and saw something at the 'last second'.
Police confirmed that Moneger had allegedly told officers he consumed alcohol the afternoon before the crash, though investigators are still determining whether he was intoxicated at the time of the incident. Bodycam footage showed detectives entering Moneger's Scarborough home and placing him in handcuffs before transporting him in a police vehicle on Tuesday.
Olivia's family remembered her as an aspiring songwriter who dreamed of creating music with her older sister Brooke, and who loved the colour pink and her Chihuahua named Diva. A GoFundMe page established to support the family raised nearly $4,000 within the first 24 hours, with funds intended to help cover funeral costs and provide financial breathing space during their grieving process.
The legal matter is scheduled to be heard next on February 12, while Pastor Lean has been entrusted with organising Olivia's funeral arrangements.
