Police cannot rule out “tampering” of a bus owned by Port Macquarie MP Peter Besseling, which was found as the source of a car accident that left three people injured last week.
Police concluded their examination of the bus in relation to the circumstances surrounding a three-vehicle crash near Port Macquarie last Wednesday.
About 7.40am on March 16, an eastbound station wagon and utility were involved in a head-on collision with a westbound sedan on the Oxley Highway.
Three male drivers suffered serious injuries and were taken to Port Macquarie Hospital for treatment.
Officers attached to the Mid-North Coast Highway Patrol attended and an investigation commenced into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
An oily substance was located on the roadway.
Further investigations deter-mined it was the result of an oil leak from a Mercedes bus which had been driven along the roadway shortly before the collision occurred.
The bus was located and specialist police conducted a mechanical examination of the vehicle.
A further examination was also conducted.
Examinations concluded the oil leak was due to a missing sump plug. However, it cannot be determined how the plug came to be missing.
Police are not ruling out that the plug was tampered with.
Vehicle investigators will prepare a written report which will be submitted as part of the investigation into the three-vehicle collision.
“A preliminary mechanical inspection of the bus has revealed that the wiring for the oil’s early warning system appears to have been cut,” Mr Besseling said in a statement.
“Furthermore, it is believed that the sump plug was loosened at some stage overnight, causing it to dislodge during this morning’s journey.
“The matter has been referred to Port Macquarie detectives for further investigation.
“This apparent act of sabotage has placed people’s lives at risk, and we are fortunate that the outcome from this morning’s incident was not more serious. Innocent lives were put at risk, including those following the bus on a very busy highway and my father Col, who was driving the bus at the time.
“I have visited the injured people involved in this morning’s accident.
“I apologise to any motorists caught up in this incident and urge anyone with information that may be of use in this investigation to contact Port Macquarie Police on 6583 0199.
“My thoughts are with those who were needlessly injured this morning, and also with their families.”
Anyone with information about the collision or the circumstances surrounding it is asked to contact Port Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
