A teenager has lost the ‘love of her life’ after being killed in a horrific car crash just six months before Queensland was hit by a youth crime wave.
Heidi Riding, 18, died when the silver Holden Commodore crashed in the Toowoomba suburb of Newtown on Friday morning.
It is alleged that a 19-year-old male driver was speeding down the wrong side of Hursley Road before colliding with trees and a concrete bench.
It has since emerged that Ms Riding lost her partner Jemmah Lauren Cole-Creighton, 24, in similar circumstances when an allegedly stolen car plowed into a tree.
The fiery crash happened on January 13 on the Warrego Highway near Helidon in the Lockie Valley region, just 20 kilometers from Toowoomba.
Heidi Riding lost her partner Jemmah Lauren Cole-Crighton, 24, in similar circumstances when an allegedly stolen car plowed into a tree.
Jane Shaw, CEO of youth support service Emerge, said Ms Riding was devastated by her partner’s death.
The founder of the Toowoomba organization said he did not condone Ms Riding’s actions but said the young woman wanted to turn her life around.
‘I’m absolutely heartbroken – I know she’s made some seriously bad choices but there’s another side to Heidi that was golden,’ he told News Corp.
Miss Shaw said Mrs Riding was a quiet girl who was funny, loyal and respectful.
‘He had so many demons but he was so determined to help other children because he couldn’t give himself the same love,’ the youth worker added.
Ms Shaw said the young woman was on her way back to track when Ms Cole-Crighton died in the horror smash.
‘He was crippled by grief all his life and the grief kept coming back – in the same circumstances he lost the love of his life,’ said Miss Shaw.
Jane Shaw (pictured) CEO of youth support service Emerge said Ms Riding was devastated by her partner’s death.
Ms Cole-Crighton suffered burns to 95 per cent of her body after her 2009 Toyota Camry crashed into a tree and burst into flames in January.
She was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital but died a short time later.
A 27-year-old male passenger was also taken to hospital with serious head injuries and extensive burns.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman alleged the car was stolen from Toowoomba’s Hooper Center car park earlier in the week.
Ms Cole-Crighton’s mother, Kelly Cole, told News Corp that her daughter finally fought back.
He said despite his injuries he crawled out of the car and pulled himself up a hill where bystanders were able to help him.
Mrs Cole added her ‘heart sank’ when she was told her daughter would not survive.
‘As a mother it’s the most terrifying news you’ll ever hear,’ she said.
Ms Cole-Creighton (pictured) suffered burns to 95 per cent of her body after her Toyota Camry crashed into a tree and burst into flames in January.
Meanwhile, in the wake of Ms Riding’s horrific crash this week, a witness told the Courier Mail they heard the driver screaming.
‘Where are you?’ He can be heard screaming as he frantically searches the scene.
According to the witness, the man collapsed after discovering the body moments later.
‘He’s dead! He’s dead!’ The driver reportedly shouted.
Debris from the crash was spread more than 50 meters near the Tor Street intersection.
Pieces of metal were found embedded in the fence and a burning engine was thrown at least 20 meters from the car.
A burning engine (pictured) was driven 20 meters across the road in the crash where Mrs Riding died.
The driver was taken to Toowoomba Hospital with minor injuries and a single vehicle crash investigation has been launched, Queensland Police said.
No charges have been laid in connection with the crash, but police say teams from the Forensic Crash Unit and the Ethical Standards Command are investigating the incident.
These teams are tasked with finding out the cause of the accident and who is responsible, respectively.
The Holden Commodore was spotted by local patrols during the night but was not engaged, police confirmed in a statement.
It comes as state authorities continue to grapple with an epidemic of youth crime that has spiraled out of control.
Queenslanders have repeatedly called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to take tougher measures to tackle rising crime rates.
An apprentice electrician who hit King was furious to learn his alleged attacker had been released on bail and issued a desperate plea to Ms Palaszczuk to do more.
Real Malual, 21, is recovering in hospital after suffering a ruptured lung, five days after the alleged robbery and stabbing in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley in late June.
Rial Malual Raja is still struggling to breathe after being hit and stabbed – resulting in a collapsed lung
Only one boy, 17, has been charged over the alleged assault and is already back on the streets, although prosecutors strongly recommended he be denied bail when he appeared in court earlier this month.
The remaining four youths are absconding.
‘What is the Premier doing about it?’ Mr Malual told Nine News from his hospital bed this month.
‘If there aren’t consequences soon, it’s going to explode.’
‘It will be the epicenter of knife crime, people will no longer go out or feel safe.’