Phillip Crosland is grappling with profound loss after his wife and lifelong companion, Maureen Crosland, tragically lost her life in an accident on the Camden bypass.
“She was an amazing person,” Phillip reflected.
Maureen dedicated her time to volunteering at a local school, where she taught reading and writing to kindergarten students.
“She was highly respected, and the children adored her,” he added.
The 84-year-old was traveling with her close friend, Lee Casuscelli, at the time of the incident.
The duo was headed out to shop for dresses for an upcoming wedding.
“If it had been three seconds earlier or later they wouldn’t have been hit,” Phillip said.
It’s alleged Luke Francis stole a red Toyota sedan from a Hurstville petrol station, prompting a police pursuit.
On Saturday, NSW Police claimed the pursuit was terminated in the Bankstown area, however 9News has obtained CCTV footage that appeared to call that into question.
Footage at Bridgewater Boulevard in Camden Park, about 40 kilometres from Bankstown, about two minutes before the crash appears to show the stolen red Toyota and three unmarked police vehicles behind it with no lights or sirens, and then one marked police car with sirens on.
The stolen car then hits a dead end and comes back, crossing onto the wrong side of the road.
Again three unmarked police cars are just seconds behind.
Maureen’s family has this question for NSW Police.
“If the police called off the pursuit, how come they were there to chase him when he got out of the car?” Mr Crosland said.
Detectives with the critical incident team returned to nearby streets today searching for CCTV.
Mr Crosland has already lost two of his three children to meningitis and cancer, and now he’s lost the person he depended on the most.
“Terrible thing to happen IÂ can’t explain it,” he said.
“Everything’s been taken away from me.”
