Truck Driver Apologises After Runaway Vehicle Kills Eight-Year-Old in Arouca Yard
The driver of a truck that veered off the road and crashed into a yard in Five Rivers, Arouca, killing eight-year-old Gideon Smart, has apologised to the child’s family as police investigations continue.
Gideon’s stepfather, Martin Gardner, said the injured and shaken driver expressed deep remorse following Monday afternoon’s tragic accident. According to Gardner, the driver acknowledged seeing children in the yard moments before losing control of the truck.
Gardner said the family is struggling to cope with Gideon’s sudden death and lamented that the vehicle had not struck nearby cars or a drain instead of the child.
The driver remains under police supervision while receiving medical treatment and is cooperating fully with investigators.
Gideon was killed around 3 p.m. while playing in the front yard of his home on Savannah Road Extension. A truck transporting construction materials was travelling south along the inclined roadway when, upon approaching a bend, the driver lost control. The truck left the road, breached the yard’s perimeter and struck the child. It also collided with three vehicles, including two vans parked on the property.
Gideon was pronounced dead at the scene. His 11-year-old brother and another young friend were present at the time but escaped without serious injury.
Gardner recalled being inside the house when the collision occurred, describing a sudden and violent impact that shook the entire building. The front exit was blocked after a parked bus was pushed into the house by the truck. When he eventually forced his way outside, he found the older boy injured and in shock further up the driveway.
The surviving child later said he noticed the truck speeding downhill and warned his younger brother to move. Gideon, who was riding a stationary spin-bike, was unable to escape in time.
Gardner described Gideon as a gentle and helpful child who loved spending time around the family’s mechanic garage and was excited about helping to care for piglets the family planned to raise.
“He wasn’t loud or troublesome. He just wanted to help,” Gardner said.
Residents of the area described the incident as devastating and said children frequently play nearby due to a lack of safe recreational spaces. They noted that heavy vehicles regularly travel the road and that accidents have occurred before, including a recent crash involving a garbage truck.
Residents also complained about the poor condition of a nearby recreation ground, which they said has gone decades without repairs or lighting.
The truck driver, who sustained injuries to his foot and neck and had to be extricated from the vehicle, was delivering building materials to a nearby resident at the time of the crash.
Investigators are expected to seek legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as inquiries continue.
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