New revelations have come to light about the former police officer believed to have caused the deadly 200km/h tunnel crash that claimed the life of a young nurse and his own.
The daughter of driver Bruce Daley’s girlfriend, who did not want to be identified, said her mother was on the phone with him just before the crash.
Daley was killed when his Audi, which witnesses said was traveling at up to 200km/h, crashed into a silver sedan, which then crashed into a truck in the Legacy Way tunnel at Mt Coot-Tha on Wednesday.
Young nurse Lily Galbraith, 24, who was a passenger in the silver sedan, died while the driver, her friend Emma McLean, 23, was left in critical condition.
The young woman also revealed to 7News that she must have been in the car with Daley at the time of the fatal accident.
He said his mother, who is in Thailand, is “heartbroken” by Daley’s death.
Daley was supposed to fly to Thailand today to be with her.
The young woman also revealed that she must have been in the car with former police officer Bruce Daley (pictured) at the time of the fatal accident.
Daley died when his Audi crashed into a silver sedan, which then crashed into a truck in the Legacy Way tunnel in Mt Coot-Tha on Wednesday.
The young woman said Daley treated her mother very well.
“He treated my mother like, I wouldn’t say, a princess, but he gave her everything she wanted,” she said.
Witnesses said the retired police officer stopped his black Audi at the entrance to the busy tunnel, revved the engine and accelerated to a speed of 200 km/hour just seconds before crashing into the back of a car and killing a young woman.
They recalled how the Audi stopped at the entrance to the tunnel around 3:10 p.m., forcing other drivers to surround it.
‘The driver did not indicate or pose dangers. I gestured around and moved on. Some people whistled at him,” said a witness. courier mail.
‘I passed slowly. He was sitting there in the car.
Lily Galbraith (left) died after former police officer Bruce Daley, driving an Audi convertible, crashed into the back of a car in which she was a passenger. Her friend Emma McLean (right) is in critical condition.
Daley was heading north through the tunnel in a black Audi S3 (pictured) which witnesses said was traveling at speeds of up to 200 km/h.
The witness had called his brother while returning home from work.
“This car was flying, it passed by me and my brother could hear it through the speakerphone, my car shook,” he said.
‘About 80 meters in front of me is where the impact occurred. I told my brother “I have to get off the phone” and jumped.
“The only thing you could see was smoke and debris everywhere.”
The witness said he and another man examined Mr Daley, who had a “minimal pulse” and he was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Daley retired from the Queensland Police in 2014.
He had mentioned his mental health problems on social media, including references to loneliness and suicide.
Acting Detective Inspector Chris Hansel told a news conference that speed would be the focus of the investigation.
“This will be a very protracted matter and all elements and angles of this incident will be thoroughly investigated,” he said.
“This includes looking at our five fatal factors, such as any distraction, drunk driving, speeding, fatigue or reckless behavior that was present before or during the incident.”
Inspector Hansel would not comment on whether the former police officer’s mental state would influence the investigation, which is expected to last several months.
‘I cannot comment on exact scenarios at this time. As you can see, it is a very complex investigation, a very conflictive scene that was experienced by our first responders and the general public,” he said.
The former police officer poses in his black Audi convertible in November 2016.
Daley (pictured) is understood to have left Queensland Police in 2014.
“It would once again be irresponsible of me to propose a specific scenario without a full investigation having been conducted.”
Ms Galbraith, from Darwin, and Ms McLean, from Adelaide, were in Brisbane to attend a wedding when their lives were turned upside down by the accident.
McLean was engaged to her boyfriend of five years just a few weeks ago.
The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The collision closed Brisbane’s main tunnel and inbound and outbound lanes were closed for more than two hours during rush hour.
Police want to speak to anyone who saw the black Audi S3 before the crash and anyone who has information for investigators.