A truck driver has been hit with a drug charge following a fatal collision that claimed the life of a three-year-old girl.
The 56-year-old male driver was driving a Mitsubishi Fuso truck along Banya Avenue on the Sunshine Coast when his vehicle rear ended a silver Nissan Qashqai about 11.40am on January 14.
His truck continued on before slamming into the rear of a blue Haval station wagon, which was stopped in traffic. Two other vehicles in front of the Haval were also struck.
The Haval was occupied by three-year-old Ineza King, her one-year-old sister Itahe, and their 37-year-old mother.
Ineza was flown to Queensland Children’s Hospital where she died from critical injuries.
Her sister was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with serious injuries before being brought to Queensland Children’s Hospital.
Their mother sustained non-life threatening injuries in the collision.
The truck driver was charged on Friday with one count of driving a motor vehicle while relevant drugs are present.
He is due to appear before Caloundra Magistrates Court on April 23.
Queensland Police say an investigation into the crash is ongoing, with officers from the forensic crash unit involved.
A GoFundMe page created to support the King family has amassed almost $26,000 as of Saturday.
“Ineza was a joyful little girl, full of energy and full of life — a child who felt every emotion deeply and honestly,” the page reads.
“We will always remember Ineza — Inni — not only for the heartbreak of her passing, but for the light she brought into the lives of her parents, her sister, her family, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.
“Her life, though far too short, was full — full of love, laughter, movement, music, wonder, and warmth.”
