A woman has died and a young boy and man have been seriously injured after being struck by a car driven by an elderly woman who lost control in Melbourne’s outer east.
The incident occurred around 12.20pm on Thursday on Coleman Road in Wantirna South, when a 91-year-old driver lost control of her silver hatchback, hitting three pedestrians and crashing through a playground fence.
Paramedics treated all three victims at the scene. The woman died, while the man was transported to The Alfred Hospital in critical condition. A child, aged between three and four years old, is receiving treatment for serious injuries at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Police cordoned off several blocks around the park where the car remains wedged against a park bench near the children’s playground inside Coleman Reserve.
During a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Superintendent Justin Goldsmith said the driver lost control near the intersection of Coleman Road and Bindi Street, mounted the footpath, and hit three individuals.
Superintendent Justin Goldsmith addressed the media in Wantirna South on Thursday afternoon.Credit: Eddie Jim
Investigations are ongoing into the speed at which the elderly driver was travelling. The section of Coleman Road where the crash occurred is equipped with traffic management chicanes designed to slow vehicles. Police are yet to determine if the driver struck or attempted to avoid these chicanes before mounting the footpath.
Police are also investigating whether the 91-year-old driver suffered a medical episode.
Goldsmith said investigators hoped to gather more information after speaking with the driver on Thursday evening, describing the elderly woman who sustained minor injuries during the incident as emotionally “very shaken up.”
Footage obtained by The Age from a house on Coleman Road shows a silver Toyota Yaris travelling on the north side of the road with a hubcap rolling behind it.
The CCTV also appears to show a family with a pram walking in the opposite direction just before the accident. The Age has not yet confirmed if these individuals were involved in the crash.
Police are continuing to interview witnesses and have urged anyone with relevant information to come forward.
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