Female motorcyclist, 39, is killed and three others injured in horror highway smash during Christmas charity ride
- The first biker died after crashing into a road barrier on the Mitchell Freeway
- Two more riders were taken to hospital after crashing in the same location
- The trio were in the 45th Perth Bikers’ Charity Ride for the Salvation Army
One motorcyclist was killed and three more seriously injured in a highway crash during a Christmas charity ride.
The first rider, a 39-year-old woman, was killed crashing into a road barrier on the Mitchell Freeway in Perth about 9.35am on Sunday.
Two more riders, a 67-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman then braked heavily and swerved to avoid the wreckage, but crashed themselves.
Pictured: The scene of the crash when a motorcyclist ran into a road barrier north of Perth
Pictured: Emergency workers at the scene of the accident on the Mitchell Freeway, north of Perth, at about 9.35am on Sunday
Both riders and the 56-year-old female pillion passenger were rushed to hospital, with extent of their injuries not known.
All four were were participants in the 45th Perth Bikers’ Charity Ride to raise money for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal.
Thousands of bikers participate in the annual ride, which starts at Perth Stadium in Burswood and ends about 30km north at the HBF Arena in Joondalup – a 10-minute drive from the accident.
Rider Daryl Pinner, who has been taking part in the event for 35 years, said the tragedy unfolded when a three-wheeled motorbike hit the guard rail by the freeway and ran into other bikes.
Pictured: Participants in the Perth Bikers’ Charity Ride to raise money for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal
Pictured: People dressed in festive gear for the annual charity event to raise money for the Salvation Army
‘We just pulled up and stopped with all this smoke going up in the air from the motorbike on the middle of the freeway,’ he told the ABC.
‘It’s tragic to everyone that rides a motorbike because you’re doing something for a good cause.’
Colin ‘Bandit’ Scott, one of the event organisers, said it was a ‘heartbreaking’ end to a happy event.
‘We basically just stopped and had a minute’s silence and paid our respects,’ he said.
Police urged anyone with dashcam footage of the area to contact Crime Stoppers.
Rider Daryl Pinner has been taking part in the event for 35 years and saw the aftermath of the tragedy (pictured: event participants)
Police have urged anyone with dashcam footage of the area to contact Crime Stoppers. Pictured: Traffic at the scene
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