Man charged over horror South Yarra hit-run crash on Chapel St
A MAN charged over the horrific road death of a Dutch woman at South Yarra has fronted court today, with a heavily bandaged arm, as dramatic pictures emerged of the moment officers swooped on him in the CBD yesterday. This is how they found him.
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A MAN charged over the horrific road death of a Dutch woman at South Yarra has fronted court today, charged with culpable driving and other offences.
Dressed in white T-shirt with a heavily bandaged left arm, Michael Panayides appeared briefly this afternoon at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
The 26-year-old, who is charged with culpable driving causing death, failure to render assistance and dealing with the proceeds of crime did not apply for bail.
Magistrate Phillip Goldberg declined to release the name of the victim and remanded Panayides to reappear in December.
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It comes as dramatic pictures emerged of the moment officers swooped on the man in the CBD.
Panayides was arrested in Bourke St after a member of the public reported seeing someone who resembled pictures released by police.
He received medical treatment last night. His injuries are unknown.
Milad Noori saw several officers arrest the man about 5.40pm yesterday.
“I saw flashing lights on Elizabeth St … (as) we got closer I recognised him,” Mr Noori told the Herald Sun.
Mr Noori said the man was alone when police searched him and retrieved items, believed to be jewellery, from his bag.
Police had launched a major manhunt for the driver responsible for Sunday’s fatal hit-run in Chapel St which killed a 27-year-old Dutch national cyclist, urging him to surrender and warning any of his associates against harbouring him.
Earlier, Major Collisions Investigation Unit detective Inspector Stuart McGregor said police had been searching tirelessly for the alleged driver.
Insp McGregor said the car had not been involved in any crimes or police pursuits since it was allegedly stolen from Elsternwick last Sunday.
Fingerprints taken from the stolen Mercedes were also analysed during the hunt for the driver.
WITNESS TRIED TO SAVE CYCLIST
Peppans cafe worker Melissa Donaldson said she ran to the woman’s aid, performing emergency CPR moments after the crash.
She was helped by another woman and a nurse until paramedics arrived.
“She was still breathing and had a pulse,” Ms Donaldson said.
“Eventually, we couldn’t feel the pulse anymore. It was so sad to see her go … to know we weren’t going to save her. I keep seeing her lovely face.”
She told how the driver casually pulled his bag from the back seat of the stolen Mercedes and walked from the scene.
It wasn’t until two men confronted him that he allegedly bolted.
“I don’t understand how anyone can be so callous,” she said.
Flowers have been placed at the crash site.
“We want her family in the Netherlands to know we are thinking of them,” Ms Donaldson said.
HOW THE HORROR UNFOLDED
The woman, a 27-year-old Dutch national, was pinned between the white Mercedes-Benz SUV and another vehicle after the Mercedes swerved into the bike lane.
The alleged driver was helped from his vehicle by passers-by but fled on foot, leaving the woman for dead.
The young woman’s family overseas had been notified by Interpol and was yesterday en route to Melbourne from the Netherlands.
Insp McGregor said the family would be reeling from the “horrendous event”.
“I can’t imagine what it would be like to receive that telephone call in the middle of the night,” he said.
“We’re working with the family as best we can.”
The victim had been in Australia on a working holiday and was out riding on Sunday morning when she was hit.
“She was here on a holiday of a lifetime and unfortunately it came to a crashing end,” Insp McGregor said.
CCTV footage showed the stolen luxury vehicle hurtling down the busy strip towards the cyclist about 10am.
She died at the scene of the accident, which happened near Grosvenor St.
After the alleged driver fled, he was chased down nearby Simmons St, but disappeared.
Police on Sunday scoured the surrounding streets to collect CCTV footage that might provide clues to help them track down the alleged fugitive driver.
The young female cyclist was riding south along Chapel St when the “impatient” driver allegedly veered left into the bike lane in an attempt to overtake cars.
The cyclist was hit by the car and pressed against another moving vehicle, causing “devastating” injuries.
The force of the crash was so great the other car bore an imprint of the woman’s bike.
Two other vehicles were also badly damaged.
A woman aged in her 80s, inside one of the cars, was taken to The Alfred hospital in a serious but stable condition after suffering chest pains.
Insp McGregor said witnesses tried to help the driver and cyclist and were “dumbfounded” when he allegedly took off.
Witnesses said that at first he appeared calm, collecting his bag from the back seat of the car.
Then he allegedly fled.
“They helped him out of the car and his first thought wasn’t to help … it was to run,” he claimed.
That act left residents and local traders reeling.
Tony Christakakis, from Jay Dillon menswear, claimed: “Someone just lost their life and someone just did a runner.
“His bag was worth more. Animals are more caring and compassionate than that,” he claimed.
SHOCK OVER STOLEN CAR’S ROLE IN TRAGIC HIT-RUN
Meanwhile, the neighbour of a man whose luxury car was stolen during a burglary in Elsternwick has revealed her shock over the Mercedes’ role in a fatal hit-run which left a cyclist dead.
Ilana Silver said her neighbour came to her door “very stressed out” after learning his car had been stolen from his home on August 5.
“They were out for a few hours and someone has come through the back, jimmied the lock and went through and ransacked one of the bedrooms,” she said.
“They took the car keys and went into the garage and stole the white Mercedes.
“I am in complete shock that from a crime next door, someone has lost their life.”
Ms Silver said many residents were home when the crime occurred.
“It’s very brazen to do that in broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon.”
Two sets of car keys, wallets and watches were also stolen in the burglary.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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