How Did a 160km/h Drive Kill 4 People on the Newell Highway Near Tomingley? — Trial Begins

Quick answer: Four people died when a ute crossed into the path of a van on the Newell Highway near Tomingley in New South Wales in September 2024. On 12 October 2026, Jack Bowd, 25, went on trial in the Dubbo District Court accused of causing the crash — a charge he denies.

Key facts

• What: Head-on crash between a Toyota Hilux ute and a Toyota HiAce van
• Where: Newell Highway near Tomingley, about 30 km south-west of Dubbo, NSW, Australia
• When: September 2024; trial opened 12 October 2026
• Toll: 4 killed — Lochie Jacobs, 18, Joey Urban, 19, and Parkes couple Sue and Graham Tait, both 57
• Status: Trial continuing before Judge Michael Smith (judge-alone; expected to run two weeks)

What happened

Prosecutors allege Mr Bowd was filmed by passengers driving at 160 kilometres an hour while holding an alcoholic drink in the lead-up to the crash. Moments before the fatal impact, the ute was travelling at 134 km/h when it attempted to overtake a B-double truck on a bend, crossing double unbroken lines, and collided head-on with the HiAce carrying Mr and Ms Tait.

The group had abandoned a hunting trip after Mr Bowd ran over one of his dogs and was rushing the injured animal to the Orana Veterinary Hospital in Dubbo. He had called the vet at about 8:34pm, and minutes earlier the group had stopped for fuel at a Parkes service station, where CCTV showed Mr Bowd getting into the driver's seat of his Hilux.

None of the three men in the ute were wearing seatbelts. All four victims had died by the time emergency services arrived. Mr Bowd, the sole survivor, was taken to Dubbo Hospital, where he underwent surgery on his left femur.

The evidence before the court

The central question of the trial is whether Mr Bowd was driving. The prosecution points to DNA evidence — 38 of 39 blood samples taken from the front of the driver's steering-wheel airbag matched Mr Bowd — and to phone footage showing him driving with one hand on the wheel and a vodka drink in the other while the speedometer read 160 km/h. A Snapchat message from one victim's phone read "Coming in hot to the vet".

The defence says Mr Bowd is "honest and credible", has consistently denied being the driver, and told police he swapped seats with Mr Jacobs after passing through Tomingley because the dog was deteriorating. Mobile-phone GPS data, the defence says, supports that the ute stopped to change drivers.

If you drive on routes like this

• Overtaking on a bend is one of the deadliest manoeuvres — if you cannot see clear road ahead, do not go.
• Speed and alcohol together multiply risk; even below the legal limit, alcohol slows reaction times.
• Wear a seatbelt in every seat, front and back — unbelted occupants are far more likely to die in head-on crashes.
• If an animal is injured, pull over safely and call for help rather than rushing at dangerous speed.

Frequently asked questions

Who died in the crash?

Lochie Jacobs, 18, and Joey Urban, 19, who were in the ute with Mr Bowd, and Parkes couple Sue and Graham Tait, both 57, who were in the van. Mr Bowd was the sole survivor.

When did the crash and the trial take place?

The crash happened on the Newell Highway near Tomingley in September 2024. The trial opened in the Dubbo District Court on 12 October 2026.

What is Jack Bowd charged with?

Four counts of dangerous driving causing death. He has pleaded not guilty, and the trial is judge-alone before Judge Michael Smith.

What does each side say about who was driving?

The prosecution says footage, DNA from the driver's airbag and CCTV place Mr Bowd behind the wheel. He told emergency responders and police he had been sitting in the back seat and had swapped seats with Mr Jacobs after Tomingley.