Key Points
- A man has been refused bail after being charged with dangerous driving causing death after five people were killed.
- All five passengers seated in a four-seater Nissan ute were killed in the crash.
A teenage labourer will remain in custody until November after his alleged dangerous driving led to the deaths of five high school friends in a crash south of Sydney.
But one father has told the media he doesn't want to see anyone behind bars over the crash that killed his son.
Tyrell Edwards, 18, was behind the wheel of a ute that crashed into a tree near the Wollondilly Shire village of Buxton on Tuesday night, killing three girls and two boys aged between 14 and 16.
Police attended the 'horrific' scene where five teenagers died after a car smashed into a tree in Buxton southwest Sydney. Source: ABC Australia
He appeared via video link in Picton Local Court on Thursday as his lawyer made an unsuccessful bail application.
Magistrate Mark Douglass concluded Edwards posed a risk to the community.
"It's not an easy decision, he is a young man who has never been in custody," Mr Douglass said.
Edwards, who had held a licence for a short period of time, had accumulated two speeding offences and was at risk of tampering with witnesses due to his strong ties to the community.
The accused man completed year 11 at Picton High School in 2021. He now works as a labourer.
He has previously suffered from anxiety and has sought psychological treatment for the illness.
His lawyer argued the 18-year-old was significantly traumatised by the incident.
The hearing needed to be streamed online after a crowd of family members and friends descended on the small, country court.
Exaven Desisto, the father of crash victim Antonio, told media outside court he did not want to see anybody behind bars.
"I've got to visit my son at the f***ing morgue," he said.
Antonio, Edwards and four other Picton High School students were allegedly crammed into Edwards' ute on Tuesday before the vehicle was torn apart during the crash.
Tributes to the victims of a car accident are laid at the crash site in Buxton. Source: AAP / Jane Dempster
The driver returned a negative breath test at the scene, police say.
Camden police chief Superintendent Paul Fuller, a 38-year police veteran, described the crash site as "one of the worst accident scenes I have ever come across".
Wollondilly Shire Mayor Matt Gould said the Buxton community was in shock and mourning.
"The loss of so many young lives is just devastating and you can't put into words the overwhelming loss many in our community are feeling," he posted on Facebook.
Distraught teenagers wearing school uniforms laid flowers and cards on Wednesday at the crash site.
Education Department deputy secretary Murat Dizdar said the school community was "deeply impacted by this tragic news".
"It is an extremely distressing and disturbing day for the entire education family," he said.
Two separate counselling teams were at Picton High, one dedicated to staff and another to supporting the 1,100 students. The victims were from years 9 and 11.
"The department will provide that support for the school community for as long as it is needed," Mr Dizdar said.
Premier Dominic Perrottet visited the school and spoke with teachers on Wednesday afternoon.
"Our hearts go out to the families that have been affected by this horrendous tragedy," he said.
"Everything that we can do to help that wonderful community get through this, we will."
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Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
