MELTON Police have had a busy month on the roads after a spate of accidents involving speeding and reckless behaviour.
Three youths were lucky to escape alive and uninjured after the car they were in collided with a power pole in Elizabeth St, Melton South on Sunday, 10 March.
Leading Senior Constable Allan Edwards said the unregistered Holden station wagon, which was displaying incorrect number plates and being driven by an 18-year-old Learner driver, lost control turning from Andrew St and slid into a power pole before bursting into flames.
The three youths were able to get out of the vehicle and were stopped by police while attempting to leave the scene.
The power pole was damaged and Powercor took a number of hours to replace it, with an expected bill of between $25,000 and $30,000.
Leading Sen Const Edwards said the driver did not have insurance on the vehicle and will be liable for any costs incurred during the accident. He will also be charged on summons with a list of offences.
Meanwhile, a 32-year-old male from Thomastown was reported to Triple-0 on the same day by a number of drivers on the Melton Highway when he was seen driving a Mitsubishi Magna sedan erratically and overtaking dangerously as he travelled towards Melton.
The driver failed to stop despite a police pursuit and at one point exceeded the speed limit by more than 70km.
The pursuit was terminated when the driver of the vehicle deliberately drove onto the wrong side of the road and into oncoming traffic.
Leading Senior Constable Edwards said the vehicle was involved in a collision only minutes later when the driver lost control and hit a concrete power pole at high speed.
He received serious injuries and was conveyed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where a bedside remand hearing was conducted the following day. The male was remanded in custody and will face court at a later date.
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or the pursuit to contact Leading Senior Constable Edwards at Melton Highway Patrol on 9747 7970.
