The sole survivor of a road crash in Melbourne that killed five teenage boys looked into her brother's face moments before the fatal impact and saw "the eyes of death".
Elissa Iannetta, 15, was a passenger in the car that slammed into a tree in Plenty Road in north suburban Mill Park early on January 17, killing five boys including her older brother, Anthony.
Police have since confirmed the driver, P-plater Steven Johnstone, 19, had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 and was driving at an estimated 140km/h in an 80km/h zone at the time of the crash.
Elissa told the Nine Network's A Current Affair program that Johnstone drove at high speed and ran red lights before the fatal crash.
She said Anthony and fellow crash victim Matthew Lister, 17, who rode in the back seat with her, were terrified.
"When we came around that corner, before we lost control, the look in Anthony and Mathew's eyes ... I have never seen anyone so scared in all my life," Elissa said.
"It was like I was looking into the eyes of death. Like, I could see it coming but I did not know to what extent."
Elissa said she and Anthony took the trip with Johnstone by chance after a late night at a friend's house, not realising that Johnstone was drunk.
"If Anthony knew that he was drunk he wouldn't have let any of us jump in that car. None of us had a clue," she said.
The passengers in the Ford Falcon XR6 feared for their lives but none spoke up and told Johnstone to slow down.
"I think that they were very intimidated by him," Elissa said.
In a final act of love, Anthony moved to protect her as the car slid out of control, she said.
"He sort of got my body and sort of put it in his lap, put himself over me, and Matthew sort of did the same thing with Anthony ...
"It was like the blink of an eye, and everything just...
"My brother's gone. He sacrificed his life for me.
"Everyone's telling me how lucky I am to be here. I walked away pretty much with a slap on the wrist. It didn't feel, like, right. There are many people that know what I am going through, but don't really.
"I just think I wish I could have known what was happening so I could have helped him as well."
Front page
RSS Feed