Family's 'Life Sentence' After Alleged Drunk Driver Kills Father on Adelaide Motorway
A family in Adelaide has been handed what they describe as a "life sentence" after a tragic incident where a father-of-two was killed by an alleged drunk driver. The accident occurred on the North–South Motorway at Dry Creek, approximately 12 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD, just after midnight on Sunday.
Sandy Sandhu, 33, also known as Sarabdial Singh, was in the emergency lane jump-starting his car when he was struck. He suffered catastrophic injuries, including a severed leg, multiple broken ribs, and severe internal trauma, and later died in hospital.
"I lost my husband. My kids lost their father," his wife, Parabhjit Kaur, told reporters. "He was the best part of my life."
Witness Account and Trauma
Sandhu's brother, Sikandar Singh, witnessed the crash and remains deeply traumatised. He recounted being in the emergency lane with his brother when the impact happened, noting that the line was nearly two feet away from their car.
Singh was with his brother as he lay bleeding on the road and knew he would not survive. "He said please take care of my children and my family," Singh recalled. "I said don't worry."
Allegations Against the Driver
Police allege that the driver, 22-year-old Harrison Beckel from Mallala, was drunk at the time of the crash and fled the scene. Witnesses reported seeing Beckel's ute swerving across multiple lanes before the collision.
In court on Monday, prosecutors detailed the devastation, stating that a witness saw a leg in the roadway and heard the victim crying out after the crash.
Legal Proceedings and Family Outrage
Beckel has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of a crash. He has not yet entered pleas. The family is furious that Beckel was granted bail after spending only one night in custody, allowing him to return to work and continue driving trucks on his family's farm in Mallala while awaiting court.
"We are still trying to figure out how the hell he got bail and we got a life sentence," said brother Harman Singh. Sandhu's wife added, "One day I will get justice." Beckel is scheduled to return to court in June.
Community Support
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support Sandhu's family, raising over $43,000 to help them during this difficult time. The incident has highlighted the severe consequences of drunk driving and the ongoing grief faced by victims' families.
