Queensland truckie extradited to NSW over child’s death 18 years ago

Maureen Dettre | October 11, 2022

A Queensland truck driver will face a NSW court charged over the death of a six-year-old boy in a hit-and-run crash in the Southern Highlands 18 years ago.

NSW Police say the 59-year-old truckie is being extradited from Queensland and will arrive on a flight at Sydney Airport at 9.45pm on Tuesday.

Officers attached to the Crash Investigation Unit travelled to Bellbird Park, southwest of Brisbane, after the Queensland Police Service arrested the man on Sunday.

He appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday where NSW officers were granted extradition.

The man will face Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday charged over the death of Rian Strathdee.

The boy was a back-seat passenger in a station wagon which was hit by a heavy vehicle while being driven south along the Hume Highway near Sutton Forest about 9.40pm on November 26, 2004.

The car rolled 40 metres down an embankment, killing the boy.

The truck involved did not stop.

Rian’s father – then aged 45 – sustained neck injuries, while his 11-year-old brother was taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead with facial injuries, cuts and bruising.

His 46-year-old mother, who was driving at the time, also suffered extensive cuts and bruising.

Police were unable to identify the vehicle and driver and, following an inquest in 2006, the coroner could not determine an at-fault vehicle or driver.

The case was reviewed in 2016 and since that time, further information was obtained leading to the man’s arrest.

Police will allege the man – then aged 42 – was working as a truck driver at the time of the crash.