A man was killed after a 20-second police chase on Stud Road on Tuesday morning.
By Nicole Williams
ONE MAN is dead and another injured after the car they were travelling in crashed during a 20-second police pursuit in Dandenong on Tuesday morning.
Police were trying to intercept the allegedly stolen and speeding vehicle, around 3.50am on Stud Road, when it smashed into a roadside barrier on the Monash Freeway overpass.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Kevin Casey said police were in the area after a call notified them of a driver behaving erratically.
“The Dandenong divisional van attempted to intercept the vehicle and it increased speed and was driving in excess of the speed limit,” Mr Casey said.
“It appears the vehicle has lost control, mounted the kerb on the left, travelled for 100 metres plus and the railing penetrated the passenger side of the vehicle.”
The young male passenger died at the scene and the male driver, aged in his twenties, was taken to the Dandenong Hospital under police guard with minor injuries.
Mr Casey said a senior constable and constable in the divisional van were pursuing the red Mitsubishi sedan for only 20 seconds before the collision.
“Like anyone involved, they will be touched by tragic circumstances of the loss of life of a person,” he said.
The Collision Investigation Unit is investigating the crash, which will be overseen by the Ethical Standards Department.
“As result of any tragic accident, the coroner will investigate all circumstances leading up to, during and post crash where a person has lost their life in a motor vehicle accident.”
Mr Casey said the police believed other vehicles were in the vicinity at the time of the pursuit.
“We’re looking for any people in vicinity of Stud Road, Heatherton Road and Kidds Road at approximately 3am to 4am Tuesday morning who saw the car involved in this tragic set of circumstances to contact Crime Stoppers,” Mr Casey said.
It is the fourth accident involving police pursuits in Victoria in the last three weeks.
