Sandpatch car crash: Police investigating serious crash involving 15-year-old driver

Police are investigating a serious crash after a vehicle driven by a 15-year-old left the road and hit a tree, putting four teenagers in hospital. The Holden Captiva was travelling down an unsealed road in the outer suburb of Sandpatch, near Albany Wind Farm, about 7.12pm on Thursday, October 26, when it hit a boulder. Police say the driver lost control and the vehicle travelled down an embankment before hitting a tree, leaving four of the five occupants — all minors — with injuries. A St John WA spokeswoman confirmed three girls and a boy had been taken to Albany Health Campus, where one of the girls was treated for a broken wrist. The others were treated for minor injuries. Police are investigating the crash. The incident is the second serious crash involving teen drivers in the last month after a stolen car smashed into a tree and rolled on Albany Highway on September 28. Police said the teenagers had stolen a white Ford Focus from an address in Yokine, leading the police on a chase over several hours that ended with the vehicle hitting a tree about 20km from Williams. Four civilians were caught up in the pursuit when police mistakenly used a police stinger on their tyres. The occupants and the driver were caught by police shortly afterwards, having tried to escape into the surrounding bushland.