A damaged car was spotted at the scene of the crash on Gungahlin Drive on 27 August 2026. Photo: John Lomnicki.
UPDATED, Friday, 28 August: A cyclist remains in a serious condition the day after he was hit by a car in a tragic crash that killed his fellow rider.
Five cyclists were riding on Gungahlin Drive, near the intersection with Kosciuszko Avenue, after 6 am on Thursday (27 August) when a car crashed into them.
Tragically, a 32-year-old woman died at the scene from her injuries.
A 39-year-old man was taken to Canberra Hospital and on Friday (28 August), an ACT Policing spokesperson said he remained in a critical and unstable condition.
The spokesperson also said at this stage no charges had been laid against the 40-year-old female driver of the car as the investigation was continuing.
THURSDAY, 27 August: A senior police officer said the scene police were confronted with when they arrived to find a car had crashed into a group of cyclists, killing one, was “beyond comprehension”.
ACT Policing’s Detective Inspector Mark Steel said a group of five cyclists were riding on Gungahlin Drive, near the intersection with Kosciuszko Avenue, after 6 am on Thursday morning (27 August) when a car “ploughed” into them.
He said members of the public, including two off-duty nurses and an off-duty police member, began performing first aid on the three injured cyclists.
Paramedics arrived but, tragically, a 32-year-old woman died from her injuries at the scene.
Detective Inspector Mark Steel said the woman was originally from Perth in Western Australia. She had moved to Canberra and had friends in the ACT.
“I believe she belonged to a cycle club. They’re a tight-knit bunch and everyone will be hurting at the moment,” he said.
Two male cyclists were taken to hospital, including a 39-year-old who remained in a critical condition on Thursday afternoon. A 34-year-old was treated at the hospital before being released.
The other two cyclists in the group were uninjured.
Detective Inspector Steel said the 40-year-old woman who had been driving the car was not injured and was still assisting police with their inquiries.
“This brings the road toll to 10 for the year now,” he said.
“It’s a tragedy for the families involved. It’s a tragedy for emergency services personnel. It’s a tragedy for the community.”
Police examine the crash scene on Gungahlin Drive on 27 August 2026. Photo: John Lomnicki.
He said both the car and the cyclists had been heading north on Gungahlin Drive at the time of the crash.
“We’re still piecing together how the collision occurred,” he said.
“We believe the cyclists were travelling in the left-hand lane, unimpeded. So, we’re looking at reasons for the collision at the moment.
“At this early time, we’re not looking at speed as a causal factor.”
Detective Inspector Steel thanked the members of the public who stepped in and provided first aid to the cyclists after the crash.
“It’s heartening to know in amongst this tragedy that people stopped to help,” he said.
“We’re praising those members of the public that stopped to render assistance at the scene, because … we could be talking about two fatalities rather than the tragic one at this present time.”
He said cyclists were vulnerable road users and drivers had to look out for them.
“It’s up to us all to look out for each other on the roads,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Canberra Bilbys Triathlon Club posted a statement on social media saying their regular cycling group was involved in the incident on Gungahlin Drive which resulted in the death of one of their members and injuries to others.
“Our club is devastated by these events. Our club is made up of people who love the sport of triathlon, who love getting out there and doing their best, and who support each other through the highs and lows that come with competing in a challenging sport and belonging to a community club,” the statement says.
“Today, and in the coming weeks and months, that support will be more important than ever.
“While some other members of our club were injured and members of the club were present during this incident, we will not be commenting on the circumstances of the accident due to the ongoing police investigation.”
Police are appealing for information or dashcam footage of the cyclists on Gungahlin Drive or of a Hyundai Accent. The Hyundai is light blue in colour with ACT registration YND94Q.
If you can assist police, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit Crime Stoppers ACT.