Two men escape truck rollover south of Murray Bridge

Two men are lucky to be alive after a truck rollover south of Murray Bridge on Friday night.

A refrigerator truck left the bitumen and rolled onto its roof at the intersection of Jervois Road and Flagstaff Road, at Murray Bridge South, around 11.30pm.

The driver, a 24-year-old Para Hills man, was not hurt and managed to pull himself out of the truck’s cabin.

A passenger, a 30-year-old Parafield Gardens man, was taken to the Murray Bridge hospital with minor injuries.

Seven reported for traffic offences over holiday break

A tipsy teenager who allegedly hid a boy in the boot of her car is among seven drivers picked up by local police over the Christmas and new year period.

The 16-year-old Murray Bridge girl allegedly failed to stop for police on Eleanor Terrace around 2am on Sunday, then bumped into a parked car when she pulled over on Clara Street.

Officers allege that they found a 16-year-old boy in the boot of her car, and that she returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.123 after a breath test.

They charged her with drink driving, failing to stop, breaching her learner’s conditions and having an unrestrained passenger, and took away her licence for six months.

Also reported over the holiday period were:

• A 25-year-old Murray Bridge man on Homburg Drive on Saturday; the L-plater allegedly returned a positive breath test but failed to comply with further analysis, and lost his licence for 12 months on the spot
• A 42-year-old man on Adelaide Road, Murray Bridge at 12.45pm on Boxing Day; he allegedly blew 0.12, more than double the legal limit
• A 38-year-old man on the Old Princes Highway at White Hill on Christmas Day; he allegedly returned a positive roadside breath test but declined to comply with a second test back at the police station, and so lost his licence for 12 months and had his vehicle impounded
• A 32-year-old Murray Bridge man on Swanport Road just after 8.30pm on Christmas Eve; he had allegedly been driving a Mitsubishi Triton ute “erratically and dangerously”, allegedly returned a reading of 0.219 in a breath test, and so lost his licence for 12 months and his car for 28 days
• A 25-year-old Kudla man on Reedy Creek Road at Pallamana at 7.15pm on December 23; he allegedly blew 0.085 in a breath test, was reported for drink driving and lost his licence for six months
• A 61-year-old Mypolonga man on McKerlie Road at 9pm on December 21; he allegedly blew 0.115, was reported for drink driving, lost his licence for six months and had his Holden ute confiscated for 28 days

Police find drugs, stolen motorbike in Murray Bridge

Meanwhile, police have arrested two men and a woman after a drug bust at a Murray Bridge house on January 3.

Officers allegedly found Yamaha PW50 motorbike which had been stolen from a business in Loxton, plus 55 millilitres of the drug fantasy, other drugs and associated equipment.

They arrested three local people present at the time:

• A 39-year-old man, for drug trafficking and possession of drug-related equipment
• A 39-year-old woman, for theft
• A 28-year-old man with an outstanding arrest warrant

Anyone with information about the illicit drug trade is invited to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au, anonymously if needed.

Simple measures can prevent heartbreak, top cop says

Finally, SA Police Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott has urged drivers to take simple steps to ensure their safety, and the safety of others, in 2024.

A total of 116 people died on South Australian roads last year, including a 29-year-old Murray Bridge woman who crashed into a tree after running off the South Eastern Freeway in May.

More than 850 more suffered serious, life-altering injuries, including a 45-year-old motorcyclist hurt in an east side hit-and-run in August and a 60-year-old Jervois man who survived a truck crash in March.

“Every life lost on SA roads is preventable and easy to achieve,” Assistant Commissioner Parrott said.

“Don’t speed; don’t be a selfish prick and drink drive; wear your seatbelt; don’t drive dangerously by taking unnecessary risks on our roads; don’t allow yourself to be distracted while driving.

“It can be that simple.”

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