THE Easter long weekend ended in tragedy after five deaths were recorded on WA roads - more than any other state or territory.
The long weekend got off to a horror start with three men aged 17, 19 and 20 all killed with a matter of hours in crashes in Carnarvon, Collie and Bruce Rock on Thursday, one a promising local football star.
A 61-year-old man was the most recent fatality from the long weekend when he was killed in a single car crash in Capel on Monday night.
South West Traffic acting officer-in-charge Sergeant Robert Malcolm said the car was found on the Bussell Highway near Halls Road in Capel about 8pm.
The 19-year-old killed in the Bruce Rock crash was star local footballer AJ Williams.
His Nissan Navara utility left the wrong side of the Bruce Rock-Narembeen Road about a kilometre south-east of Bruce Rock about 9.30pm on Thursday and slammed into a tree.
The impact tore a front wheel off the vehicle and crushed the passenger’s side.
Williams, who was alone in the vehicle, died at the scene.
His body had to be cut from the wreckage.
Williams was the 2013 Bruce Rock Sportsperson of the Year and one of the stars of the local football club.
As well as a key player, this year, with Bruce Rock scheduled to take on Corrigin this Saturday in the first round of the Eastern Districts Football League, he had also joined the Bruce Rock Football Club committee.
In the hours after the crash the football club posted on its Facebook page: “The club has a hole in it this morning following the passing of our great mate AJ Williams.
“A committee member, a super player but more importantly a mate to all.
“Deepest sympathy to the Williams family and AJ's friends.
“That cheeky grin will be missed by us all.”
The fourth fatal crash of the weekend happened in Margaret River on Sunday night when a blue Toyota Corolla that was being driven south along Bussell Highway collided head-on with a silver Mazda 3 near the Margaret River airport.
South West Acting Inspector Richard Moore said a witness who was driving behind the Corolla noticed the vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road for 1.5 kilometres in a 100 kilometre an hour zone.
"The witness flashed his headlights at the car to attract the driver's attention before he lost sight of the car," Inspector Moore said.
Police are calling for other possible witnesses to come forward.
The 26-year-old French male driver of the Toyota Corolla from East Perth died in the crash and his 28-year-old Chinese female passenger was seriously injured and flown to Royal Perth Hospital.
"It appears that the two people in the Corolla were not wearing seat belts which would have made a big difference," Inspector Moore said.
The 33-year-old female driver and 33-year-old male passenger both from Margaret River in the Mazda were both seriously injured with the driver flown to Royal Perth Hospital.
Margaret River police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Thursday's fatal crash in Collie involved a Ford Falcon driving South West on the Collie-Williams Road before it left the road, ran onto a gravel verge and slid into a tree at about 3pm on Thursday.
The driver’s side of the utility hit the tree, and a fire broke out in the engine bay, killing the 20-year-old male driver.
The passenger, a 22-year-old man from Bunbury, was knocked unconscious in the crash and a passing motorist pulled him from the wreckage and extinguished the fire.
The passenger was taken to Bunbury Hospital and an investigation is underway into the cause of the crash.
Senior sergeant Steve Principe said Busselton and Dunsborough were very lucky to see no fatalities.
“It wasn't a good weekend for crashes,” he said.
“And with another long weekend on its way people need to be attentive.”
Senior Sergeant Principe said that fatigue, driver inexperience and inattention seemed to be the main factors when it came to fatal crashes on country roads.
“With the amount of gravel and trees and oncoming traffic, there is very little room for error,” he said.
Double demerits will be in place for the Anzac Day long weekend from April 24 to 27.
Anyone with information regarding any of the crashes is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
