Australian tourist charged in wrong-way crash that killed older couple

An Australian tourist charged in a wrong-way crash surrendered his passport to California Highway Patrol and is prohibited from leaving San Mateo County.

Stephen Wagstaffe, the county’s district attorney, told SFGATE that the San Mateo County court granted the DA’s office’s request on Monday, which prohibits the man accused of being the driver in the wrong-way crash from leaving the area except to see his attorney in Dublin.

Luke Nardini was charged Sept. 5 with two counts of vehicular manslaughter after allegedly killing an older couple in a Redwood City crash, according to San Mateo County court documents obtained by SFGATE.

The head-on crash occurred on Highway 84, near Peek-A-Boo Lane, on Sept. 1, CHP said. Nardini allegedly drove a BMW on the wrong side of a westbound lane and crashed into a Ford vehicle with four occupants. 

One passenger, who was in the right rear seat, died at the scene, CHP said. Another person riding in the left rear seat was later pronounced dead by Stanford Medical Center staff. Both of the deceased passengers were 80 years old, the CHP report said. 

The remaining two passengers were taken to the Stanford hospital with major injuries, CHP said.

Nardini, 31, was taken to the same hospital with minor back injuries, CHP said. 

CHP said drugs and alcohol are not suspected in the crash.