Teenager Daniel O'Neill was just 10 minutes from home when police believe that he fell asleep at the wheel before his car crashed, killing him instantly. The 17 year-old P-plate driver and his 16 year-old friend were heading home to Moss Vale when he crashed at Mittagong at 6:00am on Saturday morning, A steady stream of mourners arrived at the O'Neill house yesterday to off their condolences to his family.
A group of children returned to the crash scene on the Old Hume Highway yesterday afternoon. The Daily Telegraph spoke to a family friend who said that fatigue was the cause of the accident. "It wasn't excessive speed, just simple fatigue*. It was just a sad accident," the man, who did not wish to be named, said.
"Daniel was nature's nicest gentleman. He was one of the best blokes you could ever know. It's such a tragedy," he said. The 16 year-old passenger was released from Bowral Hospital yesterday after being treated for cuts and bruises.
© The Daily Telegraph, 31st October, 2004. Authors Gemma Jones, Evelyn Yamine.