A woman is dead and five other people taken to hospital following a horror two-car crash that closed one of the region's major highways for almost 12 hours, marking a shocking end to the Easter long weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Around 4.15pm on Easter Monday, emergency services responded to reports of a sedan and a utility colliding at the intersection of the Newell Highway and Ashburnham Road, Daroobalgie, approximately 20 kilometres south of Parkes.
A passenger in the sedan - an 83-year-old woman - died at the scene before emergency services could arrive.
The 83-year-old male driver was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics and airlifted to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition.
The 52-year-old male driver of the utility and three passengers - two men aged 58 and 56 along with a 39-year-old woman - were also treated by paramedics.
All occupants of the utility were taken to Forbes Hospital for minor injuries and the driver was subject to the mandatory testing.
![Newell Highway and Ashburnham Road, Daroobalgie. Picture Google Earth Newell Highway and Ashburnham Road, Daroobalgie. Picture Google Earth](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GHcbaSNijNeVS4SULWDX8n/26675637-d7d6-4bae-8d08-557315d5ff42.png/r21_0_926_509_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Officers from Central West Police District established a crime scene that was examined by specialist police.
Detectives have commenced an investigation into the matter.
The Newell Highway was closed from 4pm on April 1 and didn't reopen fully until just after 2.30am on April 2.
The Newell Highway fatal adds to a shocking long weekend road toll, with six motorcyclists among more than a dozen road deaths nationwide over the Easter long weekend.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.