Brisbane News Live: Police make grim discovery almost a day after crash; RACQ predicts 2025 will be deadliest on Qld roads in more than 15 years; Search for Dezi Freeman enters seventh day

Following three fatal crashes on Saturday, the number of people who have lost their lives on Queensland roads this year has hit 200.

Based on this year’s trend in road deaths, RACQ general manager of advocacy Josh Cooney predicted 2025 would be the deadliest year for Queensland roads in more than 15 years.

The state’s road toll has hit 200, with the RACQ predicting an additional 100 people will die before the end of the year.

“Right now, one person dies on our roads almost every day, and speeding remains the leading factor in fatal crashes, contributing to an average of 79 deaths every year,” Cooney said.

Read more here.

The body of a man involved in a fatal crash was found by police almost 24 hours after his car left the road, marking a tragic conclusion to a horror weekend on Queensland roads.

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Police made the grim discovery after being called to investigate an abandoned four-wheel-drive on the Warrego Highway, west of Brisbane, on Sunday.

They believe the driver and sole occupant – a 67-year-old Regency Downs man – crashed his Toyota Landcruiser about 8.30pm on Saturday at Glenore Grove in the Lockyer Valley.

The man managed to get out of the wreckage, but later succumbed to his injuries.

Police searched the surrounding area and found his body a short distance from the vehicle on Sunday night.

Four people were killed in three other fatal crashes over the weekend, with the RACQ predicting that 2025 will be the deadliest year for Queensland roads in more than 15 years.

It may be the first day of spring, but today we can expect a partly cloudy day with a high chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. So best to pack a brolly, and a cardigan.

Here’s what’s making news further afield this morning:

Property values across the nation are growing at their fastest rate in more than a year as cuts in official interest rates hit a housing market struggling from a lack of supply. But in Brisbane, values are soaring.

Dezi Freeman was a churchgoer who attended mass just days before he allegedly shot dead two police officers and wounded another in Victoria’s alpine town of Porepunkah last Tuesday, according to locals. He remains on the run this morning. Follow our rolling coverage here.

Australians with rare and less common cancers face a greater risk of death and misdiagnosis, as well as higher out-of-pocket costs.

Rumours about US President Donald Trump’s health grew on Friday night after commentators online pointed out that – unusually – he had not been seen in public for two days. However, Trump put the rumours to bed with a swing of a golf club.

The explosion of AI has turned recruitment into a minefield, where it’s difficult to assess whether candidates have the skills they might appear to be able to demonstrate.

Good morning, welcome to Brisbane Times’ news blog on this first day of spring. Today we can expect a cloudy, possibly wet day, with a maximum of 22 degrees.

In this morning’s local headlines:

Anti-immigration protesters carrying placards and Australian flags clashed with counter-protesters during Sunday’s March for Australia, which attracted thousands of people to Brisbane’s CBD and led to one arrest.

There’s a good reason so many Brisbane schools are turning 150 this year – 1875 was pivotal to education in Brisbane. But how old is your local school? Check our interactive chart to find out.

With more than 2 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, Brisbane’s Geneva Vanderzeil is turning roadside junk into home treasures, and winning over craft fans.

Geneva Vanderzeil has a cult following of millions on social media, thanks to her cheery upcycling projects.Credit: Brittney Deguara

The RACQ predicts 2025 will be the deadliest on Queensland’s roads in more than 15 years after three fatal crashes on Saturday took the toll to 200.

From fireworks and live music to drone shows and street parties, we run down all the Brisbane Festival events you can experience this year without spending a cent.

They’ll need a little luck, but Trai Fuller has kept the Dolphins’ hopes of a maiden finals campaign alive after helping them triumph over the Gold Coast Titans 36-30 on Sunday.