Dragged by car

By Nicole Williams
A YOUNG woman is lucky to be alive after being dragged along the South Gippsland Highway with her arm caught in a car window on Tuesday night.
Acting Detective Sergeant Nick Lamb said the 22-year-old woman and her friends were out looking for her boyfriend’s dad’s car, a blue Ford Courier ute, which had been stolen from Kooweerup that morning.
Act Det Sgt Lamb said the group saw the vehicle about 8.30pm and when it stopped at the Pound Road intersection, the woman approached the driver’s side door.
“She reached into the vehicle and tried to take out the keys but the offender wound up the window and sped through a red light, dragging her for approximately 80 metres,” he said.
“This could have resulted in a death and this female is very fortunate that she didn’t die as a result.”
The driver then stopped the car, rolled down the window and threw her unconscious body onto the road.
“It is disgraceful that the offender has trapped her arm and then accelerated at high speed and thrown her from the vehicle,” Act Det Sgt Lamb said.
“He showed no respect to this girl.”
The woman’s friends and boyfriend saw the incident and called emergency services.
She suffered extensive grazing and bruising to her body and was taken to The Alfred in a serious but stable condition.
Act Det Sgt Lamb said this was a reminder to call police rather than act alone.
“We’re asking that if people come across instances like this, that they contact police at the first instance,” he said.
“It doesn’t happen very often but unfortunately when people are in these situations they can do desperate things.”
After dumping the woman, the stolen car continued along the South Gippsland Highway before turning left onto Greens Road and was last seen turning left onto Dandenong Frankston Road, towards Frankston.
The car was later found burnt out on the corner of Breens Road and Monaghan Road, Cranbourne West.
Investigators are appealing for anyone who witnessed either of these two incidents or with further information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.