Melbourne’s second hit and run incident in a week
Victoria police is investigating another shocking hit-run incident in Melbourne – the second in four days.
While a 13-year-old girl remains in hospital fighting for life after being struck in Coburg on Sunday, on Wednesday a motorcycle burst into flames after being struck and dragged in a hit-and-run crash at Mitcham.
Witnesses said a black four-wheel-drive sped down Glenburnie Road about 4:15pm, hit the motorcycle and dragged it several metres and causing it to burst into flames.
Police said the driver fled and the car was later found abandoned nearby. The motorcyclist suffered life threatening injuries.
Resident Denyse Ward said it was a shocking scene.
“[It was] unbelievable, just something you never ever want to witness,” she said. “I would hate to have been right up close with it because I stayed back and [it was] unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, the car believed to be involved in Sunday’s hit-run has been seized by police, but the driver remains at large.
The girl was hit while she was riding her bicycle on the corner of Bell and Sussex Streets Coburg just after 8pm on Sunday.
She was placed in an induced coma in hospital and remains in a critical condition after suffering head injuries and broken bones.
Police believe the driver of the dark grey BMW stopped briefly after the collision before leaving the scene.
After a two-day search, investigators said they seized the car from a home in Braybrook, in Melbourne’s west, but they had not found the driver.
They believe the person behind the wheel at the time of the collision was a female of Asian appearance and aged in her 30s, with straight shoulder-length hair.
They said she may have been with a man, also described as Asian, aged in his 30s.
Detective Inspector Stuart McGregor told ABC Radio Melbourne police found the car after a tip-off from the public.
“It was located in a laneway at the back of residential and commercial premises in Braybrook,” he said.
“We know we’re close to identifying the person, and having that person in custody. I would say it’s time for this person to accept the challenge, take a deep breath and come into a police station and hand themselves in.
“This is probably the last chance this person is going to have to take that step, to do the right thing.”
Detective Inspector McGregor said police were working with other authorities to make sure the driver did not flee the state.
“We’re working with the federal police to make sure we know who’s leaving and who’s not leaving, so every port of leaving Victoria is being watched,” he said.
He said the car would be tested by forensics to confirm it was the one involved in Sunday’s collision
-with ABC