The victims of a freak accident that left their moving vehicle on the ground turn out to be a beloved couple known for their charity work.
Brian and Lynne Warren were driving along Graphite Road, near Burnside Road in Deanmill, near Manjimup in southern Western Australia, on Wednesday when disaster struck.
Mrs Warren, 78, was driving their grey Isuzu ute at the time while her husband, 75, was in the front passenger seat. Both died at the scene.
According to locals, the trees along the road were not properly maintained and posed a hazard in bad weather.
The couple were keen Rotarians and well-known figures in the Margaret River community.
“Sad news of a beautiful couple,” Rotary Club Mandurah Districts wrote on Facebook.
‘Rotarian volunteer. Rest in peace.’
The tragedy prompted an outpouring of tributes to the Warrens.
Western Australian couple Brian and Lynne Warren were killed when a large tree fell and hit their grey Isuzu pick-up truck.
“Oh my god I’m devastated. I’ve been serving them at Urban Bean for years and I’ve still seen them around town and they were so good,” one person wrote.
Another wrote: ‘That’s awful, they were such beautiful people. So sad to hear.’
Mrs Warren enjoyed a successful career in nursing, receiving an award for her outstanding performance at the State Residential Aged Care Awards while working in Carnarvon.
“I had the pleasure of working with Lynne many years ago. She was a brilliant nurse,” wrote a former nurse colleague.
‘Very sad, may they both rest in peace.’
Mr Warren was involved in a number of programs in the Margaret River community, including volunteering with Rotary’s Alternative Leavers program.
This project saw high school students travel to East Timor to assist with community building projects.
Brian and Lynne Warren were remembered as a “lovely couple” who did much charity work through Rotary
Police are investigating the scene of the accident on Graphite Road. A local resident says the trees have not been kept under control and are a hazard in the wild weather.
Mr Warren told the Augusta-Margaret River Times in 2019 that the community’s generous support allowed young people to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged communities abroad.
The couple also raised money to provide Timorese firefighters with protective equipment.
Detectives specializing in major accidents investigate the scene of the accident.
Police are looking for anyone with information or dashcam footage.
