Model Sarah Durazza dies in car crash on horror night on NSW roads

• Model Sarah Durazza dies in car crash
• Her death was one of seven on NSW roads

Sarah Durazza pictured in Bondi. Source: News Limited

Sarah Durazza was killed last night during a horror night on NSW roads. Picture: After7.com.au Source: Supplied

SARAH Durazza, the model at the centre of an NRL sponsor "punching" scandal back in 2009, was killed last night when she lost control of her car and crashed into a tree.

The former Miss Australia contestant was talking to her boyfriend on her mobile phone when she crashed into a tree, police believe.

Ms Durazza, a former Miss Freshwater model winner from Mona Vale, in Sydney's northern beaches, crashed her car into a tree at Narrabeen.

"We believe she was talking was talking to her boyfriend at the time," Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said.

"He told police officers at the scene that he heard the crash over the phone and attended the scene straight."

Relatives of Ms Durazza, including her father Paul, were on the scene within minutes of the crash but could only wait in dread as emergency services rushed to the aid of the 26-year-old woman.

It was several hours until her body could be recovered.

Her death was one of seven on NSW's roads in the past 24 hours.

Ms Durazza was at the centre of the Anthony Watmough fight at the Manly Sea Eagles season launch in March, 2009.

The then 21-year-old joined the season launch as a guest of her dad - club sponsor and lifelong Sea Eagles fan landscaper Paul Durazza.

Ms Durazza told friends that she was sitting at Manly's Wharf Hotel with team captain Matt Orford and Brett Stewart when Anthony Watmough turned up and started to insult her.

"Then he called her a 'typical princess' and started drilling into her," a friend of Ms Durazza told The Daily Telegraph at the time.

However, in the melee that followed Mr Durazza ended up in a physical fight with Watmough, who was alleged to have thrown a punch and the police called in.

Sarah Durazza was an aspiring model. Picture: After7.com.au Source: Supplied

It was the start of the pre-season nightmare for the Sea Eagles with Stewart charged with the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl after an alleged incident later that night.

Northern Beaches duty officer Insp Steve McCormack said Ms Durazza was driving her white Holden Barina sedan west on the Parkway about 7.25pm when she lost control of it near the foot of Elanora Rd and slammed into a tree.

He said the car rolled on to its roof and that she was trapped inside the car.

It is believed Ms Durazza died immediately or shortly after the crash.

Insp McCormack said no one witnessed the crash and that it was the driver of another car who drove past the scene immediately after it who spotted it and called emergency services.

He said Ms Durazza's body was recovered from her car about 2am.

Distraught relatives had to be supported and then taken away from the scene.

The police will now prepare a report for the information of the Coroner.

http://www.news.com.au/national/model-sarah-durazza-dies-in-car-crash-on-horror-night-on-nsw-roads/story-fncynjr2-1226704888845