MICA paramedic provides insight into huge Princes Freeway crash

Tom Elliott of 3AW Mornings shares a gripping account of a massive multi-vehicle crash on the Princes Freeway, captured through live chopper footage and dash cam recordings. The segment features Shannon O'Leary-Culliver, a MICa paramedic with Ambulance Victoria, who recounts her experience as part of the intensive care crew on scene. She describes arriving at a scene where two trucks were catastrophically entangled, with one trailer perched atop the other’s cab, and the driver trapped in a severely crushed cabin. Despite the extreme conditions, Shannon spent two and a half hours in the cab with the patient, providing pain relief, emotional support, and continuous monitoring. She emphasizes the exceptional coordination and safety culture across multiple emergency services—CFA, SES, FRV, police, and tow operators—that made the rescue possible. The patient’s survival and relatively stable condition are attributed to both luck and the skill of the responders. The episode concludes with reflection on the broader impact on the community, including road closures and delays, while celebrating the collaborative effort that led to a positive outcome.