‘Frustrated’ police unable to nab teens involved in Hampton Park crash
Police are “frustrated” they were unable to catch teens in a stolen car before they were involved in a horror crash at Hampton Park that left a girl fighting for life in hospital.
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POLICE are “frustrated” they were unable to catch teens in a stolen car before they were involved in a horror crash at Hampton Park that left a girl fighting for life in hospital.
The 15-year-old was a passenger in the gold Nissan Maxima when it lost control on a roundabout at the intersection of Ralph Cresc and Cornell Place and smashed into a pole on Tuesday afternoon.
Assistant Commissioner Southern Metro Region Glen Weir told 3AW it was “frustrating” police were unable to catch the teens.
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“If we had been able to come across that car we would have tried to intercept,” he said.
He told the station local units were searching for the stolen vehicle the morning of the crash after it was reported by Hampton Park resident Mr Pawelek.
“The system didn’t allow us to intercept these thieves before the collision occurred. It’s a real frustration for us.
The teenage victim remains in hospital in a critical condition and the other youths remain outstanding.
“It’s terribly unfortunate for a young life who is not mature enough in her thinking to understand the danger in such a perilous position but criminal behaviour has outcomes and people need to be aware of it,” the assistant commissioner said.
Mum Daphne Lawrence, 35, witnessed the youths driving erratically hours before the accident.
They were hooning outside a park near Hampton Park Secondary College about 2.30pm.
“They were driving erratically and hooning through the car park. They were there for about five minutes then took off at an erratic speed,” she told the Herald Sun.
The car’s passengers were African in appearance.
The mum said she was “sad” to hear the teen was fighting for her life.
“Teens don’t think and they make the wrong choices like getting into cars with stupid friends,” she said.
Michael Pawelek told the Herald Sun the car did burnouts in the park opposite his home more than five times on the days before the crash.
He said he is “furious” police did not attend and catch the driver earlier.
“I have a two-year-old son that uses the park and so do other kids in the street. What if one of them was crossing the road and that person came around the corner and hit them,” he said.
“We should be protected here as well.”
Mr Pawelek said he confronted the driver Monday afternoon during his fourth burnout spree.
“I approached him wanting to know why and ask him to stop,” he said.
“He drove off swearing and abusing me.”
Two other teenagers, a girl and boy aged between 13 and 15, remain in a stable condition at Dandenong Hospital, while another boy believed aged between 13 and 15, is in a stable condition at Monash Medical Centre.
No charges have been laid and the vehicle was reported stolen from Springvale on August 30.
Victoria Police are investigating who was driving the car at the time of the crash.
Police are asking anyone with knowledge of the driver to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.