THE two men killed after they sped away from police near Bridgewater this morning were known criminals who had been pulled over while acting suspiciously.

Police have just revealed that the men, an 18-year-old of Paradise, and a 19-year-old of Campbelltown, were in a car stopped by a lone officer, investigating a recent crime spree in the area, on the South Eastern Freeway shortly after 2am.

They say the two and a third man sped off after the officer found the car to be unregistered and a police log shows the crash happened 24 seconds after he called in their actions..

The early-model Holden Commodore travelled just 950m before smashing into a brick wall at the Bridgewater Shopping Centre, on the Carey Gully-Bridgewater Road, at high speed as it failed to take a bend.

The victims were still alive immediately after the crash as the officer rushed to help them and he talked to them, but they died soon after.

A third man in the car, aged 18 of Modbury, is in a serious but stable condition in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Police say all three were known to police and all were currently on bail.

Property was found in the boot of the car and police said they were conducting a separate criminal investigation in conjunction to the fatal crash investigation and a Commissioner's Inquiry.

The bodies of the dead men were trapped in the twisted wreck for hours and police have closed the road to traffic.

Bridgewater resident Cheryl Hoyle told AdelaideNow that the horrifically twisted wreck had "made me feel ill".

"It could have been one of my kids, I guess," she said.

"It's such a waste of life and a tragedy. This should never have happened."

THE family of one of two men killed in a car crash have asked for people not to judge the teenagers because they had criminal records and were fleeing police at the time of the crash.

The family of Rhys Ryan, 19, told The Advertiser they did not blame anyone for the crash which claimed his life and that of his friend Jake Henschke, 19. A third man remains in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a serious condition.

Rhys' sister Alicia said yesterday she wished the police officer hadn't been there. "I don't blame him, and if they didn't run they'd still be here," she said.

"Rhys has make his mistakes and done his time – what are a few traffic offences and stuff like that?

"He was such a free spirit, still finding himself and he was a bit lost at the time, but he didn't deserve this – who does?"

As Rhys's young brother, Patrick, 7, struggles with the loss of his "idol", Rhys's mother Carmel said her son was the family protector. "No matter what anyone says he had a beautiful heart. He'd always be there for family and friends," she said. The three men were in a Commodore which hit a brick wall at Bridgewater early on Wednesday.

Seconds before the crash, the men had pulled over on the South Eastern Freeway at the direction of police who were patrolling the area after a recent crime spree.

As the solo officer completed a vehicle check, the men fled at high speed in the unregistered car, down the Carey Gully to Bridgewater Rd. In less than 30 seconds they slammed head-on into the wall. Rhys and Jake died at the scene.

The crash is the subject of both a major crash investigation and a Commissioner's Inquiry and police have said they will conduct a separate criminal investigation after items including mag wheels and a hessian-covered 20 litre jerry can of fuel were recovered from the wreck.

"I just wish they were both still here. I went to the crash site and just screamed for them," said Alicia. "We don't blame anybody. He loved to drive and was always out just cruising with his friends."

They had criminal records, were out committing illegal activities, driving an unregistered car, and ran from the cops to avoid getting in trouble. One of these things could be forgiven, benefit of the doubt kinda shit, but all of those? Shows a complete disregard for society, guess you can chalk up another one for Darwinism..

The early-model Holden Commodore travelled just 950m before smashing into a brick wall at the Bridgewater Shopping Centre, on the Carey Gully-Bridgewater Road, at high speed as it failed to take a bend.

i shouldn't laugh

i thought the SA section was a general discussion section, just under different topic headings.