Three Killed in Bruce Highway Crash After Armed Carjacking

A high-speed pursuit that began with an armed carjacking has turned fatal on the Bruce Highway, claiming three lives in a violent collision north of the Sunshine Coast.

The tragedy unfolded over several hours, beginning when a man allegedly confronted a mother of three outside her vehicle in Gympie on Thursday afternoon. Armed with a knife, he forced her from her car—a 2019 Isuzu MU-X—and sped away.

Hours later, in the pre-dawn darkness on Friday morning, the chase ended catastrophically near Federal. The man behind the wheel of the stolen vehicle was attempting to ram another car when his actions triggered a multi-vehicle smash that left three people dead and left emergency services grappling with one of the region's worst recent road tragedies.

Police confirmed that just before 4am, the man was chasing a man and woman in another vehicle on the northbound Bruce Highway near exit 244. Driving at speed, he attempted to ram the victims' car, forcing both vehicles across to the wrong side of the road. A third car, heading southbound, collided with the pair.

The toll was devastating. The 65-year-old male driver and his 25-year-old female passenger in the chased vehicle died at the scene. The 38-year-old woman driving the third car also died, police said.

The alleged carjacker was the only survivor, suffering non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to Gympie Hospital before being transferred to Sunshine Coast University Hospital, where he remained under police guard as investigators worked to establish the full circumstances.

The earlier carjacking, occurring around 4:30pm Thursday, saw the man approach the woman at her car on Young Street in Gympie. Witnesses described him as Caucasian, in his early twenties, with sandy blonde hair. He had worn a cap, light-coloured jumper and red shoes—details now circulated as police reconstructed his movements that day.

Police investigators are now examining what relationship or interaction, if any, existed between the carjacker and the couple he allegedly pursued. That connection could prove crucial in understanding whether this was a targeted attack or a random encounter that spiralled into tragedy.

The collision forced the closure of a major section of the Bruce Highway, one of Queensland's most critical arterial routes. Traffic backed up significantly through the morning commute, with motorists diverted to alternate routes as emergency services worked the scene.

The crash underscores the escalating danger posed by armed carjackings and the unpredictable consequences when such incidents spiral into high-speed pursuits. Investigators continue their work as the community grapples with the loss.