Cody lucky to be alive after horror crash

Young harness racing reinsman Cody Crossland is on the road to recovery, but says he is extremely lucky to be alive after a horror accident in Tasmania late last month.

The Victorian-born youngster was one of five travelling home from the Hobart races when the Ford Ranger they were occupying left the road in Rowella, near Launceston.

The quintet was on the way back to the stables of prominent trainer Ben Yole when the accident occurred.

Crossland suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash, including breaks to a scapula, eye socket and ribs, as well as a tear in his liver.

Bronte Miller and her little brother Blake, Maree Wakefield and Lily Blundstone were the others involved in the crash, while four horses also died at the scene.

“I was asleep when it happened, I’ve got no idea what happened,” Crossland told thetrots.com.au. “I got pretty bad concussion they said.

“We’re lucky to be alive because we could have been off the cliff and the float could have been on top of us… we were pretty lucky.

“It was a pretty decent drop. A tree stump spun the car around back towards the road and pulled us back.”

Crossland said he spent about a week in hospital following the accident, and after a short stay with Yole, was now living with Blundstone and her family.

“They did say seven weeks of complete rest, and then after that seven weeks we’ll get scans and ultrasounds and see how everything is going,” said the 18-year-old, who is the son of prominent trainer-driver Laura Crossland.

“Then I’ll start my rehab and see how we go from there.”

Crossland only recently relocated to Tasmania and has driven 57 winners since starting his career in 2021.

He had driven in seven races – all with Yole-trained runners – at Hobart before the crash occurred.

Star jockey Craig Newitt created a gofundme.com page for the injured youngsters, which has so far raised more than $23,000.

It’s support like this, and from his wide group of friends and family, that has helped keep Crossland’s spirits high.

“It’s been very good. All my mates from New South Wales and back at home, they’ve all been good support,” he said.

“It’s amazing how many people have been messaging me.”

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria