A 55-year-old Oak Flats man was seriously hurt when his car and a truck collided on Loddon Bridge yesterday. Picture: ROBERT PEET
A set of tyre skid marks scarred the Appin Rd tarmac yesterday at the scene of a head-on collision between a car and a Pantech truck.
It was a horrific start to Monday morning for police, ambulance, Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW crews, who were called out about 8.30am.
They arrived at Loddon Bridge to find a car and truck had collided head-on.
Witness Coreen Schwartz said she was driving behind the westbound car and became concerned when it appeared to cross into the path of the oncoming truck.
‘‘Basically the truck had nowhere to go.
‘‘It was a pretty heavy impact.’’
The Kiama Downs woman said the truck driver got out of his vehicle and went to the aid of the car driver.
‘‘Myself and another driver got out and checked the guy and tried to help him out because he was bleeding quite heavily,’’ she said.
Wollongong ambulance duty operations manager Norm Rees said the car driver, a 55-year-old Oak Flats man, was trapped inside his vehicle.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews from Bulli and Wollongong worked for about an hour to free him, cutting away the vehicle’s side and roof to safely gain access.
The man suffered a fractured femur and injuries to his head and abdomen. After being stabilised he was flown to St George Hospital, Mr Rees said.
The 43-year-old truck driver was unhurt.
Police are investigating the collision and will look into reports the car may not have been fully inside the westbound lane.
‘‘It appears that he’s possibly crossed over to the wrong side of the road,’’ Wollongong police Acting Inspector Rob Vergano said.
‘‘We’ll look further at that.’’
Anyone with information is urged to contact Wollongong police on 4226 7899.
