Police arrest 17-year-old after Box Hill woman crushed, injured after being struck by a car in Donvale

Police have arrested a teen who allegedly struck a delivery driver in Donvale before leaving her “for dead” on the road on Saturday night. See the video.

Police have arrested a teenage driver who allegedly struck a woman while she was unloading her car in Melbourne’s east on Saturday night before fleeing and leaving her lying injured on the road.

Police said the boy, aged 17, was arrested on Monday but was released pending summons.

It is expected he will be charged with careless, dangerous and unlicensed driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to render assistance and failing to report an accident.

It comes after police on Sunday morning appealed for help to track down the driver of what was believed to be a red Mazda CX-5.

Nunawading Highway Patrol’s Sergeant Bruno Aquila said it was understood the woman was unpacking bags from her parked car on Tunstall Rd in Donvale - between Roy St and Cerberus St - when the SUV travelling southbound allegedly hit her about 10pm, crushing her between the two cars.

“She was standing on the driver’s side of her vehicle when another vehicle came along the road and squashed her between the two cars,” Sergeant Aquila told the Herald Sun on Sunday.

The Mazda driver allegedly fled the scene instead of helping the woman.

The 50-year-old Box Hill woman was taken to hospital with head injuries, where she remained in a stable condition on Sunday morning.

It is not known whether the driver had veered out of their lane when they hit the woman or if they had been driving too close to parked cars when the incident occurred.

Neighbours were shocked to hear about the incident on Sunday, with several telling the Herald Sun they had not heard a thing.

But one resident, who only wanted to be called Peter, said he had heard a “a loud bang and scratching noise” about 10pm, prompting him to look out onto the street.

“I had a quick look out on the street and couldn’t see any cars or people. Maybe she was lying on the ground at that point,” he said.

About half an hour later he saw lights and heard sirens coming from the street, with police taping off a crime scene.

Pieces of glass, believed to be from the offending driver’s lights and mirror, can be seen on the road where a woman was struck by a car on Saturday night.

The victim’s car is damaged, with debris and blood on the road showing where the incident took place.

“It then got pretty real,” Peter said.

“You normally think this type of thing doesn’t happen in your street but this shows that it can. No street is too safe.”

The battered purple-coloured hatchback remained parked on the quiet residential street on Sunday.

Shards of glass and pieces of plastic from were scattered across the road while a pool of blood could be seen next to it.

Peter didn’t recognise the car as one of his neighbour’s and believed the woman may have been making a food delivery to a neighbouring house when she was struck.

“She is very lucky to be alive,” he added.

He said police remained at the scene until about 1am and were searching the street and front gardens for any evidence.

Nunawading Highway Patrol officers are investigating the incident, including how it occurred, and Sergeant Aquila said he was “very confident” police would “make an arrest very soon”, with help from the public.

Nunawading Highway Patrol Sergeant Bruno Aquila is appealing for information to help police solve a hit-run in Donvale on February 25, 2023.

They believed the Mazda would be missing a left side mirror and that it may have damage to its front and rear lights.

“It is imperative for the driver to right some wrongs and to hand himself or herself in to give the victim some closure,” Sergeant Aquila said.

“This is a disgraceful act to leave someone lying on the road for dead and not render assistance.”

He said no “fair-minded person” would condone the behaviour and appealed for anyone who knows anything to contact police.

“We appeal for any witnesses or anyone with any information whatsoever to come forward with it,” Sergeant Aquila said.

Anyone who witnessed the hit-and-run, who has information or dashcam footage is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or file a report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.