Thirteen people were injured when a demolition derby car crashed into spectators at the Walcha Motorcycle Rally in New South Wales on Saturday evening. The incident occurred when driver Steven Taylor collided with another vehicle and ploughed into the crowd, breaking through a barrier and hitting a mobile grandstand.
Emergency services airlifted a man in his 50s with spinal and hip injuries and another in his 30s with a head injury to a regional hospital in serious but stable condition. The other 11 victims, aged between 20 and 75, were treated at hospitals in Walcha, Armidale and Tamworth, with six suffering serious injuries.
Driver Steven Taylor, 27, was treated at the scene for minor injuries and taken to hospital for mandatory testing. His brother, Blake Taylor, said in a Facebook post that Steven “hit a car in the middle of the field” and “blacked out”, adding that the family was “very overwhelmed”. Police confirmed the driver was involved in a collision immediately before the crash and is not accused of wrongdoing.
Northern Tablelands MP Brendan Moylan said nine people remained in hospital on Sunday but were all recovering. Walcha Mayor Eric Noakes described a “sombre mood” in the town, saying he felt “hollow and gutted” for visitors who “came here to have a good time”.
Australian Demolition Derby Association vice president Shane Ryan said his “stomach turned” watching the livestream, calling it “a horrible thing that should have never happened”. Police specialists from the Crash Investigation Unit are examining the scene and video evidence, and the car has been seized for forensic inspection.
