Car Crash into Australian Pub's Outdoor Dining Area Kills 5, Injures 6; Driver Under Investigation

Driver, who tested negative for alcohol, had only past speeding offenses; speed not yet determined to be crash factor.

A car crash into an Australian pub’s outdoor dining area killed five people and injured six others, including the 66-year-old driver of the luxury BMW SUV. The incident occurred at the Royal Daylesford Hotel in the rural town of Daylesford, northwest of Melbourne.
The victims consisted of a boy, two men in their thirties, a woman in her forties, and a teenage girl who died in a Melbourne hospital after being flown in following the accident.
Two boys, aged 11 months and around 6 years old, were injured but in stable condition. Three adults remained in a Melbourne hospital, including a 35-year-old woman who was in intensive care.
The driver, whose only known prior offences were for speeding, was taken to a hospital with shock and minor injuries. He remained under police guard as investigations continued.
The driver tested negative for alcohol; however, his blood was being analysed for other impairing substances. The cause of the crash is still unclear, with authorities investigating whether excessive speed or a potential medical episode may have contributed to the incident.