Eastern Freeway hit-run: Acting Superintendent says it’s ‘very lucky’ officers weren’t injured

A man suspected of driving the Mercedes that slammed into a police car before fleeing has been arrested.

A driver who is suspected to have fled after clipping a police car and nearly hitting officers on the Eastern Freeway early on Thursday morning was arrested at a hotel in Kew on Friday.

The 37-year-old Coburg man was in custody on Friday afternoon and assisting police with their investigation.

A 31-year-old Airport West woman was also arrested at the hotel, for unrelated matters.

Investigators are yet to arrest the driver of a Holden Commodore Sedan, which crashed first, and from which the driver fled.

A group of police officers had to get out of the way of a speeding car before it clipped a police car on the Hoddle St off ramp of the Eastern Freeway on Thursday morning.

Eight officers were called to the scene at about 5am, following a report a suspected stolen car had crashed.

A Mercedes slammed into a police car then fled the scene. Picture: David Crosling

A car is towed from the scene. Picture: David Crosling

Heavy traffic inbound on the Eastern Freeway due to a police incident just before Hoddle Street. The right lane is closed. Delays are back before Burke Road. Consider alternatives including Whitehorse Road, Doncaster Road or Heidelberg Road into the city. #victrafficpic.twitter.com/U4fUe4b5uy

— VicTraffic (@VicTraffic) October 5, 2022

Aerial footage of the traffic chaos on the Eastern Freeway. Picture 7 News

The driver of that car had fled by the time officers arrived, but as they were setting up a crime scene and waiting for officers to arrive, a second car – believed to be a silver Mercedes sedan – came speeding towards them.

Acting Superintendent Troy Papworth said the officers were shaken by the hit-run.

“It highlights the dangers for us of police attending at a reasonably routine traffic collision and how that could turn bad so quickly,” he said.

“That is the danger our police face everyday when they go out there to do their role.

“They’re out there doing their job for the community and it can turn dangerous very quickly.”

Supt Papworth said it was hard not to think back to the 2020 Eastern Freeway tragedy, in which four officers were killed at Kew East.

Supt Papworth said the police cars on the scene had flashing lights, and the driver was going far faster than the 40km/h limit for passing emergency vehicles.

“(The officers) were really, really, really close to (being hit),” he said.

“This was an incident which could have had a much worse outcome for our members.

“We were very lucky today that our members weren’t injured or members of the community weren’t injured.

“They’re shaken up, something like this does have an affect, emotionally.”

The silver sedan is thought to have significant damage to the front driver’s side, where it clipped the police car.

After the crash, it turned south onto Hoddle St.

Supt Papworth urged any potential witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward.

He said the investigators did not believe the two vehicles were linked and they were being investigated separately.

Officers were investigating a collision, where a suspected stolen Holden Commodore crashed into barriers near Hoddle St before 5am, before a silver Mercedes sedan drove straight through the scene, smashing into a police vehicle.

Police officers were forced to take evasive action as the driver fled, continuing to travel along the Eastern Fwy inbound.

No one was injured in the collision.

The male driver of the Holden Commodore also fled on foot before police had arrived.

It caused major delays along the freeway, with drivers urged to avoid the area.

“There are significant citybound delays on the Eastern Freeway following an incident prior to Hoddle Street,” a Department of Transport statement said.

“Queues are already back as far as Burke Road and are continuing to build.

“Motorists are urged to exit the inbound lanes of the Eastern Freeway at their earliest convenience, and instead use Doncaster Road or Whitehorse Road.

“VicRoads signal engineers are monitoring conditions on alternative routes and are adjusting signals where possible to minimise delays.

“The incident is under the control of Victoria Police. All lanes will open as soon as it is safe to do so.”

It comes just two years after four Victorian Police officers were killed on the Eastern Fwy after a truck smashed into two police cars as they attended to speeding driver Richard Pusey.