The grieving families of five Wyndham residents killed in this month’s Daylesford tragedy have criticised the police investigation for taking “too long”.
Point Cook family Pratibha Sharma, 44, her 9-year-old daughter Anvi and partner Jatin Kuma, 30, and Tarneit man Vivek Bhatia, 38, and his 11-year-old son, Vihaan, all died when an SUV driven by a 66-year-old man ploughed into the Daylesford beer garden where they were sitting on Sunday November 5.
The coronial probe has been placed on hold until police complete their investigation into the crash.
Major Collision detectives are yet to decide whether the driver of the SUV will face charges.
The man’s lawyer has said his client is an insulin-dependent diabetic who required treatment for the condition at the scene of the collision.
Police are trying to work out whether that was a factor in the accident.
They say they are still collecting statements from more than 100 witnesses.
Outside the Coroner’s Court, Ms Sharma’s cousin Vikas questioned whether it was safe for patrons to be seated outside Daylesford’s Royal Hotel.
“There’s no bollard there, no fence, nothing. If they cannot make it safe then why do they allow people to sit over there?” he said.
He also asked whether the driver was medically fit to drive, and said the families would like to speak with him as they struggle to come to terms with their loss.
“We don’t know who he is. We don’t know his name, his face … we don’t know nothing about him,” he said.
