Ballarat North: Truck driver hit by concrete thrown from bridge

A Ballarat truck driver has spoken of the horrifying moment a piece of concrete smashed through his windscreen while he was driving 100km/h on a freeway.

Police continue to investigate the apparent throwing of a piece of concrete through a Ballarat truck driver’s windscreen while he drove on the Western Freeway.

Jim Pollock was driving his usual route from Ballarat to Melbourne on March 15 when, police say, the concrete was thrown from an overhead walking bridge, smashing his windscreen and hitting him in the chest.

The 50-year-old tilt tray driver from Invermay said given he was driving at 100km/h, the injury could have been fatal if it had landed differently.

“It would only have had to come up another three inches and it would’ve hit me in the face, which is pretty scary,” Mr Pollock said.

“I was just leaving to go down to Melbourne and I pulled out of the workshop, and 10 minutes into the drive on the highway this big lump of concrete hit the windscreen.

“That’s when all hell broke loose.

“It went off with a real bloody bang.”

Jim Pollock, 50, was lucky to escape with his life after a piece of concrete was thrown from an overhead bridge while he was truck driving. Picture: Facebook.

The white Isuzu Tilter truck was travelling along the Western Freeway about 6.10am. Photo: Victoria Police.

Mr Pollock spent half the day in hospital and said he was lucky to escape with only bruises to his chest.

“It was 6am in the morning, so it was very dark here and I didn’t see it coming at all.”

Mr Pollock said he can’t imagine what would cause someone to throw such a dangerous rock onto the freeway.

“It’s just mind boggling ... we (truck drivers) drive to the law and we don’t do anything wrong. You sort of question being a truck driver.”

Mr Pollock said he will likely continue truck driving, but he’s not sure he’ll have the same confidence to get behind the wheel.

“It could’ve been a lot worse,” he said.

“I will probably get back in, but I don’t know what I’ll feel when I do.”

No arrests have yet been made, and Ballarat police are appealing for public assistance.

Anyone with dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.