Boy killed in Port Lincoln garbage truck incident named
MAY 11, 2021
Emily Cosenza
The 13-year-old boy who was killed in a tragic garbage truck accident in Port Lincoln has been named, with his family paying tribute to the “cheeky” child with a “big imagination”.
Spencer Benbolt Junior, 13, was asleep in an industrial bin early on Tuesday with two other boys - aged 11 and 12 - when it was being emptied during a scheduled collection.
As the bin was lifted, one boy managed to jump out and avoided being injured, but the other two, including Spencer, were tipped over as it was lifted into the truck.
The child who escaped, 12, began banging on the truck door to alert the driver.
Emergency services were called just after 5.20am to the Repco car park, next to a McDonald’s drive thru, on Liverpool Street.
Spencer, who was known as Budda, suffered serious injuries and died at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics trying to save him.
On Tuesday his aunty read out a statement to 9 News Adelaide on behalf of the family.
“Spencer always had a close relationship with his parents, brothers and grandmothers, who he loved and adored,” the statement said.
“He loved hunting, fishing, camping, was a cheeky boy who had a big imagination.”
9 News reported Spencer had been staying with friends recently.
Picture: Nathan Regter
A statement from SA Police said the truck driver was not aware the boys were in the bin and was “extremely shaken” by the incident.
He was taken to hospital to be assessed.
South Coast Local Service Area officer in charge Paul Bahr addressed the media later, saying the surviving boys were “traumatised” by what had happened and it would take time to get more details from them.
“The background as to how they’ve ended up in this industrial bin is something that’s really going to take some time to understand,” Superintendent Bahr said.
“It will be a strong part of the coronial investigation that we’ve begun.”
Picture: Georgia Westgarth
He said the boys were not classified as homeless and had “places to stay … with beds they could sleep in”.
The abos won't like news.com.au showing a picture of the deceased, especially without a trigger warning, that being a well-known taboo and all.
I expect this to get edited soon.
Edit: Fixed the pics and archive
MAY 11, 2021
Emily Cosenza
The 13-year-old boy who was killed in a tragic garbage truck accident in Port Lincoln has been named, with his family paying tribute to the “cheeky” child with a “big imagination”.
Spencer Benbolt Junior, 13, was asleep in an industrial bin early on Tuesday with two other boys - aged 11 and 12 - when it was being emptied during a scheduled collection.
As the bin was lifted, one boy managed to jump out and avoided being injured, but the other two, including Spencer, were tipped over as it was lifted into the truck.
The child who escaped, 12, began banging on the truck door to alert the driver.
Emergency services were called just after 5.20am to the Repco car park, next to a McDonald’s drive thru, on Liverpool Street.
Spencer, who was known as Budda, suffered serious injuries and died at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics trying to save him.
On Tuesday his aunty read out a statement to 9 News Adelaide on behalf of the family.
“Spencer always had a close relationship with his parents, brothers and grandmothers, who he loved and adored,” the statement said.
“He loved hunting, fishing, camping, was a cheeky boy who had a big imagination.”
9 News reported Spencer had been staying with friends recently.
Picture: Nathan Regter
A statement from SA Police said the truck driver was not aware the boys were in the bin and was “extremely shaken” by the incident.
He was taken to hospital to be assessed.
South Coast Local Service Area officer in charge Paul Bahr addressed the media later, saying the surviving boys were “traumatised” by what had happened and it would take time to get more details from them.
“The background as to how they’ve ended up in this industrial bin is something that’s really going to take some time to understand,” Superintendent Bahr said.
“It will be a strong part of the coronial investigation that we’ve begun.”
Picture: Georgia Westgarth
He said the boys were not classified as homeless and had “places to stay … with beds they could sleep in”.
The abos won't like news.com.au showing a picture of the deceased, especially without a trigger warning, that being a well-known taboo and all.
I expect this to get edited soon.
Edit: Fixed the pics and archive
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