![The mangled Holden Barina after the crash. Picture by Robert Peet The mangled Holden Barina after the crash. Picture by Robert Peet](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/123041529/fb8fed07-1573-42f0-9596-91d21f04529a.jpg/r0_151_2954_1818_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The details of the fateful night where a 12-year-old Bellambi boy was killed in a car accident on Memorial Drive in Corrimal in 2022 have been revealed in court documents after his young friend pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death.
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The now 19-year-old driver of the black Holden Barina faced Port Kembla Children's Court on Tuesday, February 20 where he also pleaded guilty to failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death, causing bodily harm by misconduct and not being licensed to drive.
Documents tendered to Port Kembla Local Court show how the tragic night unfolded, starting with an Instagram call from the then 17-year-old Barina driver to the Bellambi boy and his 14-year-old friend.
The pair were staying at a home on Tucker Avenue, Balgownie.
"Do you want to come for a drive," the 17-year-old asked.
"Yes," the 14-year-old replied.
A short time later, the 17-year-old, who did not have a driver's licence, showed up in a black Holden Barina that had been stolen from a Koonawarra address a few days before.
![The scene of the crash at Memorial Drive and inset flowers laid at the scene of a crash that killed a 12-year-old Bellambi boy. Pictures by Adam McLean and Robert Peet The scene of the crash at Memorial Drive and inset flowers laid at the scene of a crash that killed a 12-year-old Bellambi boy. Pictures by Adam McLean and Robert Peet](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/e5Qc2M5qQnfX3PTaVNk9Vy/3fa7d8be-1b0b-4cfa-88b9-1d68a1c872a4.jpg/r0_289_1714_1253_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The two young boys got into the front passenger seat and the back seat, with the 17-year-old behind the wheel.
The trio headed south, arriving at Wollongong Harbour where they pulled up, and met another three people, at least one of whom were known to them, who arrived in a silver Ford Focus.
After about 20 to 30 minutes the two groups got back into their respective cars and headed north up Memorial Drive.
The groups were travelling in convoy, driving at about 90km/h with the Ford Focus in front.
When the 17-year-old was later interviewed by police he said before they reached the Towradgi Road turnoff, the Ford Focus swerved in front of the Holden Barina, forcing him to veer into the shoulder.
"I tried to go around it and go back onto the road," he told police.
"I think it clipped the back right side of us."
This split second moment would irrevocably change the lives of all three who were in that car.
Two hundred metres away, at Corrimal Police Station, at 1.36am officers heard a loud screech and an extremely loud bang. Police immediately left the station and arrived at the intersection one minute later.
In that time, the 14-year-old boy had unclipped the 12-year-old's seat belt. All three boys got into the Ford Focus which took them back to Tucker Avenue.
Once police arrived on scene, they found the Barina empty and mangled beyond repair.
Later investigations revealed the 17-year-old driver had lost control of the car at speeds of over 90 km/h heading north. The car began to slip sideways before slamming into the traffic light pole on the north eastern side of the intersection, causing damage to the side and top of the car, finally coming to a rest in the southbound slip road from Memorial Drive, in the direction heading east onto Towradgi Road.
After arriving at the Tucker Avenue home triple zero was called, but the Bellambi boy was pronounced dead on arrival at Wollongong Hospital despite efforts by the teens and paramedics to save him.
Police laid six charges against the Barina driver, but would later withdraw three while adding an additional charge. He will be sentenced in May this year.
![A memorial by the side of the road set up in the days after the crash. Picture by Robert Peet A memorial by the side of the road set up in the days after the crash. Picture by Robert Peet](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/123041529/b7fc21ba-4a8a-4b94-a207-d63ba153ddfe.jpg/r0_280_5472_3369_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)