Burnside crash: Elderly carer killed after collision with allegedly stolen Mercedes
A selfless elderly care worker has died after an allegedly stolen vehicle crashed into her car as she was returning from work.
Stella Tan died when her Nissa Micra was hit head-on on Windsor Road in Burnside, near the Sunshine Coast in southeast Queensland, at 7.23am on Friday.
Ms Tan was returning from a night shift when an allegedly stolen Mercedes crashed into her outside Nambour Special School.
The suspected driver, Izak Kane Sefton-Bennett, reportedly fled the scene before being stopped by good Samaritans who prevented him from leaving in a second vehicle.
Dramatic footage emerged of the moment police apprehended him and arrested Sefton-Bennett.
Stella Tan died when her Nissa Micra was struck at 7.23am on Windsor Road in Burnside, near the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland. Pictured: The aftermath of Friday’s death
Dramatic footage was later released showing Sefton-Bennett (pictured centre), who is believed to have fled the scene on foot, being apprehended by police officers, including one who held the accused driver by the throat.
The Caloundra West man has since been charged with several offences.
Beloved Ms Tan, 52, died at the scene.
Ms Tan’s partner Bernard Wee shared a tribute in which he described Ms Tan as his soul mate and said many would remember her “acts of kindness”.
“Stella was my soulmate and the true love of my life. I miss and love her so much,” Mr Wee wrote on Facebook.
“Everyone will always remember her for her smile and her acts of kindness.”
Ms Tan’s Nissan Micra was seen mounted on the pavement with its bonnet smashed and parts of the vehicle’s front and rear doors crumpled.
The Mercedes ended up in the middle of the road with a badly damaged bonnet.
The vehicle was believed to have been stolen from Landsborough, 30 kilometers south of Burnside, at 2am, just hours before the crash.
Sefton-Bennett was charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, being affected by an intoxicant and reckless disregard for the deceased.
He was also charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, armed robbery, possession of an increased firearm, possession of methylamphetamine and other drug and firearms offenses.
“It will be alleged that at 7:23 a.m. a stolen Mercedes was traveling east on Windsor Road when it collided with a Nissan Micra traveling in the opposite direction,” Queensland Police said in a statement.
“The driver of the Nissan, a 52-year-old Nambour woman, died at the scene.
“The driver of the Mercedes fled the scene but was arrested a short time later with the assistance of members of the public.”
Ms Tan’s partner Bernard Wee shared a tribute online in which he described Ms Tan (pictured) as his soul mate and said her “acts of kindness” would be remembered by many.
Mr We described Ms Tan, who died on Friday, as “the true love of my life”.
