Karina Abel, 50, was driving her Hyundai i30 hatchback with her beloved three pet dogs in tow when it collided with a Transperth bus on Warwick Rd in Warwick, in Perth ‘s north, at about 8am on Monday
A woman who was killed along with her pet dog in a car crash was due to marry her fiancé this year and was on her way to visit her mother who suffers from dementia at the time of the fiery smash.
Karina Abel, 50, was driving her Hyundai i30 hatchback with her beloved three pet dogs in tow when it collided with a Transperth bus on Warwick Rd in Warwick, in Perth’s north, at about 8am on Monday.
Her car caught on fire and Ms Abel was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Tragically she was unable to be saved, along with one of her dogs, while the other two animals ran from the scene before they were tracked down by rangers.
Ms Abel was set to tie the knot with her partner Brad Oreo in Bali later this year.
Her future stepdaughter, Tahlia Oreo, 20, said Ms Abel had the ‘biggest heart’.
‘One of my fondest memories of her is when she finally broke the news that her and dad were engaged,’ she told the West Australian.
‘I’ll never forget the smile on her face as she told me, I was ecstatic for them, I would’ve been so proud to call her my stepmother.’
Karina Abel was due to marry her partner Brad Oreo later this year in Bali (the couple are pictured together)
The passengers on board the bus escaped injury on Monday morning (crash scene pictured)
Ms Oreo said Ms Abel had been on her way to visit her elderly mother when the crash occurred.
Her mother suffers from dementia and Ms Abel had moved from Geraldton, about a four-and-a-half-hour drive away, to Warwick to be closer to her.
Ms Abel had regularly shared photos and videos of her three dogs to her social media accounts.
Mr Oreo posted a photo of his partner to his Facebook page following her tragic death.
‘She was the best partner and friend,’ he wrote in a comment.
His daughter commented: ‘Best stepmother I could’ve ever asked for. Forever has a piece of my heart with her. I love you dad. Forever and always’.
The bus Ms Abel had collided with was mostly carrying children on their way to school.
A teenage girl suffered minor injuries while the 48-year-old female driver of the bus and the other passengers on-board were unharmed.
Officers from the Major Crash Investigation Section are investigating the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Brad Oreo posted a photo of partner Karina Abel (pictured together) to his Facebook page following her tragic death. ‘She was the best partner and friend,’ he wrote in a comment