In the early hours of the morning, a Toyota Corolla with fraudulent license plates was spotted cruising down West Street in Hadfield. Around 4 a.m., law enforcement officers noticed the suspicious vehicle and attempted a routine traffic stop, according to police reports.
As the officers approached to perform additional checks, the driver of the Corolla reportedly accelerated away from the scene. The police, however, opted not to engage in pursuit of the vehicle.
Moments later, the driver lost control of the car, resulting in a dramatic crash. The Corolla overturned and collided with a power pole at the intersection of West Street and Glenroy Road, leaving the vehicle on its roof.
Security footage from the area captured the harrowing moment, showing the car generating sparks as it collided with the power pole and flipped through the air before landing upside down.
Both the driver and a passenger, both 22-year-old men, were injured in the accident. Fortunately, their injuries were serious but not life-threatening, and they were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The driver and his passenger, both 22-year-old males, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. They were taken to hospital.
“I heard a big screech, big crash, little bit of commotion,” a nearby resident told 9News.
“I kind of hopped up out of bed, and ran out the front, then I heard ‘get out of the car, get out of the car’.”
“It must’ve been over the speed limit of 50. Definitely over, maybe 100,” another witness alleged.
Firefighters, paramedics, police and a power company swarmed the scene to contain a fuel leak from the car and fix the power pole, which had split.
Locals were left without power this morning and shops were unable to open.
Two jerry cans of fuel were found in the back seat of the Corolla after the crash, police said.
Police confirmed the Corolla was stolen from Dandenong on December 10.
The investigation remains ongoing.
No charges have been laid.
