By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A homeless man has been charged over an alleged car jacking and a police pursuit that ended in a car smash in Dandenong.
The 35-year-old had earlier driven away from a two-car crash on Eastlink near Bangholme Road about 3.20pm on 11 December, police say.
The driver of the other car was assessed by paramedics at the scene. The 19-year-old man didn’t require hospitalisation.
Shortly after, the fleeing man forced his way into a stranger’s car stuck in traffic at Greens Road, Dandenong South.
He sat in as a passenger until he exited the car at Metcalf Drive, Dandenong South.
There he allegedly car-jacked a van, which led to a 40-year-old man being hospitalised with head and leg injuries, police say.
Police say they pursued the stolen van – which failed to stop on their request – on Frankston-Dandenong Road shortly before 8pm.
The van allegedly crashed with a silver hatchback at the corner of Clow and Lonsdale streets in Dandenong just after 8pm.
No one was injured in the crash.
The arrested man had no fixed address.
He was charged by Greater Dandenong CIU detectives with traffic offences including three counts of reckless conduct endangering life.
Other charges included aggravated car jacking, car theft, failing to stop after an accident, failing to stop on police request and refusing to accompany for an oral fluid test.
He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 12 December.
