16-year-old boy charged over alleged Preston hit-run of motorcyclist Davide Pollina

A 16-year-old boy has been charged over a fatal hit and run in Preston last weekend.

A 16-year-old boy has been charged over a fatal hit and run in Preston in Melbourne’s north.

Motorcyclist Davide Pollina, 19, died after being hit by a stolen BMW while he was on his motorbike in the early hours of Sunday, August 11.

The young man with his life ahead of him has become the third innocent Victorian this year killed by out-of-control teenagers.

Police allege the teen was behind the wheel of the stolen car.

The boy was interviewed and charged with dangerous driving causing death, failing to stop at the scene and failing to render assistance.

The teen is set to appear before a children’s court at a later date.

The male passenger in the stolen car, also aged 16, was ­arrested nearby on the night of the incident and was released later that day.

He was rearrested on Wednesday and charged with home invasion, aggravated burglary with a person present, theft of a motor vehicle, criminal damage, two counts of reckless conduct endangering serious injuries, driving disqualified and failing to comply (passcode for a phone).

A third teenager, a 17-year-old boy, was arrested in relation to the car thefts.

Both were released on bail and will appear before a court at a later date.

Mr Pollina’s family, with whom he lived in Wollert, ­arrived from Sicily seven years ago.

His heartbroken sister Monica Pollina told the Herald Sun her family were “destroyed” over her brother’s sudden death.

Davide Pollina died in the early hours of Sunday.

“It’s unfair my brother lost his life,” she said.

Ms Pollina said he was on the way to his girlfriend’s house when the tragedy unfolded.

She said her brother was a hard-worker who was employed at OCP and Lion Pumping, working on concrete pumps.

“He would wake up early in the morning to go to work and get back late in the evening,” she said.

“He bought a car and motorbike with his money.”

Ms Pollina said her brother enjoyed camping and four-wheel driving with his mates.

Mr Pollina’s boss Tama Curtis said he was a “beautiful kid”.

“Davide was working for us for three and a half years,” he said.

“I can’t say a bad word about him, he was a good worker.

“He was always on time, everything we asked him to do, he did.”

Mr Curtis said Mr Pollina was part of the CFMEU, who paid tribute to him today.

“They did a minute silence this morning at every drop site and they held a toolbox in his honour,” he said.

“They have sent flowers to his house, they’re doing everything they can to help the family.

“I’m heartbroken for his parents, your kids are meant to bury you, not the other way around.”

Funds are being rallied for the family of Mr Pollina as they grieve his senseless death.

A furious family friend told the Herald Sun: “It’s devastating for (his parents) Nicola and Eleanora as they came here for a better life and now they’ve lost their son, all ­because a 16-year-old (allegedly) wants to steal a car and have some fun. It’s bad. He was a really nice young man.”

Amid growing community anger over the state’s spiralling youth crime, his heartbroken sister Monica Pollina posted an image of her brother to Instagram with the caption “My angel”.

The driver of the BMW remained on the run on Monday.

A 16-year-old male ­believed to be a passenger in the BMW was arrested and later released amid reports he had previously been bailed over several alleged offences.

Mr Pollina’s death comes a month after trainee doctor William Taylor was killed ­allegedly by a teenage driver in a stolen car, and seven months after doctor Ash Gordon was stabbed to death allegedly by two teenage boys after his Doncaster home was ransacked.

Natalie Gordon, the sister of Dr Gordon, said the legal system was “a joke”.

William Taylor was killed ­allegedly by a teenage driver in a stolen car. Picture: Victoria Police

Ash Gordon died after a violent home invasion in Doncaster.

Police at the scene in Preston where motorcyclist Davide Pollina was killed. picture 7News

“It hasn’t even been 12 months and three lives have ended in Victoria due to youth crime,” she said.

“It’s just the same thing time and time again. (Davide) was barely an adult himself. His family would have had massive dreams for their son and they’ve all been ripped away.”

Data released in June ­revealed offences involving children as young as 10 had skyrocketed to their highest levels since 2010.

Children aged 10 or 11 ­recorded a 53 per cent spike in the number of offences committed, while those aged 14 to 17 were over-represented in burglaries, ­assaults, robberies and car thefts.

A 16-year-old male ­believed to be a passenger was arrested and later ­released. Picture: Lauren Hutchinson

Davide Pollina, 19, was killed when an allegedly stolen BMW collided with his motorcycle.

Separate data released ­exclusively to the Herald Sun in June found a child criminal breached their bail every three hours in Victoria, with youths aged 12 to 17 breaching bail more than 2770 times last year.

Currently, children as young as 10 can be arrested, charged and kept in juvenile detention, but a Bill before parliament will lift the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12.

And in 2023, the state government vowed to ultimately raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 by 2027.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto on Sunday called on the Allan government to walk back its pledge to raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12.

Mr Pollina’s family moved from Sicily to Australia a decade ago. Picture: Instagram

“We’re seeing a youth crime wave run throughout our community, we’re seeing people suffer at the hands of crimes committed allegedly by young people,” he said.

“The question is why does Premier Jacinta Allan think that it’s a good idea to send a message that there’s no need to be responsible for any of your actions if you’re under the age of 14?

“We’ve seen teenagers ­behind the wheel of a car who are under the age of 14. These are the people that Premier Allan wants to give a green light. That’s not responsible leadership.”

A growing number of Labor MPs have also privately raised concerns about increasing the age of criminal responsibility to 14.

Police will allege a BMW and Mazda were stolen from this Pascoe Vale South home. Picture: Lauren Hutchinson

Last month, the government called an emergency meeting on the youth crime crisis amid widespread community anger over lawlessness and bail laws. It followed the bailing of the teenage boy charged with the hit-run death of Mr Taylor and growing concern over youths committing crimes, being caught then released on bail.

On Sunday, Ms Allan flagged announcements in the coming days about new measures to crack down on youth crime.

She refused to say if her government was still committed to raising the criminal age of responsibility to 14 from 2027.

“There is a pattern of behaviour here that is causing harm and it’s also causing me, and so many in the community, concern,” she said. “We know we need to do more.”

Mr Pollina was riding his motorcycle in Preston about 12.40am on Sunday when he was hit and killed by a BMW allegedly stolen an hour earlier from a Pascoe Vale South home.

A Mazda was also stolen from the Coonans Rd, Pascoe Vale South home.

Thieves smashed the ­garage door. Police were gathering evidence at the scene on Sunday.