Bruce Highway, Gumlu: Greyhound bus driver charged in crash that killed three women

The driver of a Greyhound bus allegedly involved in a horrific highway crash that killed three women seven weeks ago has been charged.

On June 30, a Greyhound bus en route to Townsville collided with an ATV towing a caravan on the Bruce Highway in far north Queensland.

The driver was arrested and charged on Tuesday after an extensive investigation.

Peter Jason Cafe, aged 52, from Townsville, was charged with five counts of dangerous driving of a vehicle causing death or grievous bodily harm.

He appeared in Brisbane District Court via video link on Tuesday afternoon where he was granted bail until his next court appearance, which was adjourned to Bowen on September 24. Townsville Bulletin reported.

Two German tourists, aged 21 and 33, and a grandmother from Townsville who were on the bus died at the scene in Gumlu, north of Bowen.

They were later identified as Aliya Tonga, 21, Marissa Martin, 33, and Emma ‘Alli’ Sailor, 56.

Another 27 passengers were injured, including three men who were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The wreckage of a Greyhound bus that hit a 4WD on the Bruce Highway in far north Queensland on June 30

German woman Aliya Tonga, 21, was one of three women who died in the horrific bus crash

An elderly couple in the SUV were unharmed.

Queensland Police allege the bus, which was carrying 33 passengers, veered onto the wrong side of the road.

“The bus is believed to have veered onto the wrong side of the road and hit a Landcruiser station wagon coming from the opposite direction and towing a caravan,” a police statement said.

Ms Tonga’s cousin recently flew to Australia on behalf of the grieving family to find out more about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

Mrs. Tonga’s body was transferred to Germany, where she was buried on July 18 in her hometown of Wesel.

Mrs Sailor was a mother of four and grandmother of eight. She was travelling home from Brisbane with her daughter and four grandchildren.

According to her family, her husband of 19 years was “crazy.”

“We will miss her presence and her smile,” the family told reporters.

As a result of the crash, three women on the bus were killed and three men were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

It is a huge shock to our family [and] We are still in mourning.

‘She was a beautiful church woman, she never hurt anyone, [she was] very strong.

‘She did everything she could to give the shirt off her back to everyone. She was loved and supported by her grandchildren and immediate family.

“We are grateful to everyone for their well-wishes and condolences.”

Shocking pictures of the aftermath showed the cabin of the caravan crammed into the front of the bus, which had been pushed onto a nearby track.

The bus was en route from Brisbane to Townsville.

Emma ‘Alli’ Sailor, a mother of four and grandmother of eight, was killed along with two German nationals in their 20s and 30s

Greyhound Australia CEO Dan Smith said the company was “heartbroken” at the loss of three people and several others injured in the collision.

“This is a tragic incident and our deepest condolences go out to those involved and their families and friends,” he said.

‘We are working closely with the authorities to assist them with their investigation into the sequence of events that led to this accident. We are also providing support to members of our team who have been affected by this tragedy.

“We will update you as more information becomes available. We ask that you respect the privacy of those involved during this extremely difficult time.”

The case is heard in the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday and is due to be heard in the Bowen District Court on September 24.