A MAN WILL appear in court today charged over a motorway crash in Australia in which an Irishman was killed.

The collision, which took place on Thursday morning, involved a lorry and 10 other vehicles on the M4 highway, in the Mays Hill area of Sydney. Emergency services were called to the Church Street off-ramp about 5.50am (Australian time). 

Officers from Cumberland Police Area Command arrived to find 11 vehicles stopped at the crash site.

A 36-year-old Irishman was pronounced dead at the scene; police said his vehicle was struck by a truck. He’s been named as tradesman Francis Shanley by Australian media.

Witnesses told officers the driver of another vehicle – reported to be a Toyota Echo – allegedly left the scene before speaking with police.

Following inquiries by officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit, a 53-year-old man was arrested after attending St Marys Police Station about 6.15pm on Friday.

Police will allege the driver of the Toyota Echo had changed lanes on the M4 then stopped, with multiple collisions occurring as a consequence.

The driver of the Echo was taken to Penrith Police Station where he was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death/drive manner dangerous, negligent driving occasioning death, fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death, and two counts of cause bodily harm by misconduct.

The man, from Ropes Crossing, was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today.

Comments have been closed as a man has been charged.