<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>329954</docID> <postdate>2024-09-28 13:59:44</postdate> <headline>Four dead as police probe highway tragedy</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-329955" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20180314001338489252-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="645" /></p> <caption>Police have told reporters it's too early to determine the cause of a crash that took four lives. (Brendan Esposito/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>William Ton</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Speed is being investigated as one of several potential factors in a two-vehicle crash that killed four people on the NSW central west.</strong></p> <p>Emergency services were called to the Newell Highway at Tomingley following reports of a multi-vehicle crash about 9.30pm on Friday.</p> <p>A ute and a van had collided about 35km south of Dubbo.</p> <p>Two men who were passengers in the ute, aged 18 and 19, and a husband and wife in the van, both aged 57, died at the scene.</p> <p>They are yet to be formally identified.</p> <p>The male driver of the ute was taken to Dubbo Hospital with suspected leg injuries.</p> <p>When asked if speed played a role in the crash, NSW Police Inspector Rob Bevern said all factors were being investigated.</p> <p>"We're not too sure at this stage what has caused it," Insp Bevern said on Saturday.</p> <p>"There's a number of factors that would have caused this crash overnight, but this stage is too early to determine."</p> <p>All of those involved in the accident were locals from the greater central west region, Insp Bevern said.</p> <p>"The impact will be greatly shared across the region, not only through the close-knit community but also through the emergency services personnel that attended," he said.</p> <p>"All we can say is, as the school holidays roll around, please drive to the conditions, drive to the speed limit, and don't die for a deadline."</p> <p>A report will be prepared for the coroner.</p> <p>Traffic on the Newell Highway has returned to normal with the reopening of the road between Tomingley and Dubbo.</p> </body>