A Swedish man is undergoing surgery and grappling with the loss of his mate after a joyride in a shopping trolley took a tragic turn in Sydney's east.
The 28-year-old man and his close friend, university student Robin Wahlgren, were walking home when they found an abandoned shopping trolley and made the fatal choice to ride it down the notoriously steep Coogee Bay Road in Randwick about 12.20am on Tuesday.
Wahlgren was sitting inside the trolley, while his friend, also 28, was standing on the back, when it swerved onto the wrong side of the road and hit an oncoming car.
The car was travelling about 60 km/h while the trolley had reached a dangerous speed, police say.
Detective Superintendent Gavin Dengate, the Eastern Beaches local area commander, said both men were thrown from the trolley due to the force of the crash.
"Unfortunately we all know what shopping trolleys are like, they are very difficult to control," he said.
Wahlgren, who moved to Australia about two years ago, was catapulted out of the trolley and landed in a kerb.
He suffered critical head injuries and died at the scene.
The other man, who arrived in the country about a week ago to see his close mate, landed after the collision in the middle of the road.
He was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with serious injuries, including a damaged knee.
He was expected to undergo surgery on Tuesday while contact was made with Mr Wahlgren's family in Sweden.
"We unfortunately now are organising to talk to families and let them know what has occurred," Superintendent Dengate said on Tuesday.
"We're talking to friends. We're dealing with what is just a tragic, tragic incident, both for the close group of friends and the families concerned."
Wahlgren was believed to have lived in the Randwick or Coogee areas and was studying at the University of NSW.
"The university is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of one of our international students in an accident overnight in Randwick," said Professor Ian Jacobs, the university's President and Vice Chancellor.
"Our deepest sympathies and thoughts are with the young man's family and friends at this difficult time.
"The university is providing support services and is continuing to work with local police."
The 45-year-old driver of the car was not injured and returned a negative breath test at the scene.
He was taken to hospital for mandatory testing, and was shaken by the incident, Superintendent Dengate said.
"Physically [there is] no major issue, but I think we all certainly feel for him. He has been involved in a very, very tragic incident," he said.
Police on Tuesday were trying to retrace the two friends' movements before the fatal collision, including whether their night involved alcohol.
Superintendent Dengate said it was not clear whether the Swedish man who survived the crash would face any charges.
"We will certainly look at all that ... Certainly it's too early to speculate at this stage," he said.
He also issued a warning to pedestrians following the incident.
"If you're on the road, particularly in the early hours of the morning, regardless of whether you've been drinking or not, motor vehicles do kill people," he said.
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