Four teenagers have been charged over a dramatic police chase through Melbourne’s CBD, which left a woman seriously injured after she was struck by an allegedly stolen car.
The pursuit began when police spotted a car being driven “erratically” on the Eastern Freeway in Doncaster in the city’s east about 12.30pm yesterday.
Officers then followed the white BMW into the CBD, where a woman in her 40s was hit on Exhibition Street, police said.
Four occupants of the car then left the scene on foot.
They were arrested a short time later outside Emporium Melbourne shopping centre on Lonsdale Street.
All four were charged overnight.
A 17-year-old boy was charged with two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and theft.
He was bailed to appear at a children’s court at a later date.
Another 17-year-old boy was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, conduct endangering life, drive in manner dangerous, drive speed dangerous, drive speed dangerous, unlicensed driving and failing to stop at accident.
He was remanded to appear a children’s court today.
A 16-year-old was charged with aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, four counts of motor vehicle theft, attempted aggravated burglary and two counts of theft.
He was also remanded to appear a children’s court today.
A fourth teenager, a 16-year-old, was charged with aggravated home invasion, theft and two counts of motor vheicle theft.
He was remanded to appear a children’s court today.
Shoppers were forced to run for their lives yesterday after the allegedly stolen BMW was driven through a pedestrian and tram-only area in the Bourke Street Mall.
“It was just mayhem… people coming around from everywhere,” a witness told 9News.
A fellow pedestrian told 9News it was lucky nobody died as people were forced to jump out of the way of the moving car.
“Next minute this car has come straight down and I thought, thank God we weren’t walking in the middle of Bourke Street Mall.
“Another said the incident had haunting similarities to the deadly 2017 Bourke Street attack, which saw driver James Gargasoulas kill six and injure 27 after ploughing into pedestrians.
“Bourke Street all over again. Literally,” he told 9News.
The woman who was injured was treated at the scene and taken to hospital.
She is now recovering with non-life threatening injuries at Royal Melbourne Hospita
