By Ashleigh McMillan and Rachael Dexter
Four people have died on Victorian roads in a horror start to the long weekend, with another four people hospitalised and a major road closed following a crash in Melbourne’s east on Sunday.
All four deaths occurred on country roads and two of the fatalities were motorcyclists.
Meanwhile, several people were hospitalised in a pile-up in Kew on Sunday.
A 32-year-old man from Glen Waverley suffered life-threatening injuries in a four-car collision close to where the Chandler Highway meets the Eastern Freeway just after midday, Sunday.
Police attend to the four car collision on the Chandler Hwy in Kew on Sunday. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
Police believe the 72-year-old male driver of a Honda station wagon may have had a medical episode while driving east on the Eastern Freeway before exiting at the Chandler Highway.
The elderly man’s car crashed into the back of a Hyundai station wagon which was at the traffic lights at the intersection of the Chandler Highway.
The Hyundai was pushed into the path of two north-bound vehicles, a Mitsubishi hatchback and a Honda sedan.
The 32-year-old driver of the Hyundai was seriously injured and taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition with chest injuries, cuts and abrasions.
His passenger, a 29-year-old woman, was not injured, while the driver of the Honda station wagon was transported to hospital with minor injuries.
An 84-year-old female passenger who was also in the Honda was also taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The driver and sole occupant of the Mitsubishi, a 59-year-old Alphington woman, sustained serious injuries and was transported to hospital.
The driver of the Honda sedan, a 29-year-old Northcote woman and her two female passengers, a 30-year-old and 33-year-old, were uninjured.
The Chandler Highway was closed in both directions for the majority of the day before re-opening on Sunday night.
Emergency services attend the serious accident on the Chandler Highway on Sunday afternoon. Credit: Nine News
A 45-year-old motorcyclist died in Emerald, south-east of Melbourne, after he was travelling west on the Belgrave Gembrook Road and collided with a turning vehicle about 9.45am on Saturday.
The driver of the vehicle, a 37-year-old Narre Warren man, has now been charged with dangerous driving causing death.
He has been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on March 12.
Another motorcyclist died when he left the Kurrajong Gap Road in Bethanga, five kilometres from the NSW border in Victoria’s north-east, and crashed into a tree about 11.50am on Saturday.
The rider, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene. Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
A man died after he lost control of his car which rolled in Minyip overnight.
Emergency services were notified when a person came across the crash scene on the Stawell-Warracknabeal Road in Victoria’s north-west just after 1am on Sunday.
The driver, who is yet to be formally identified, was the sole occupant of the vehicle when it crashed.
Another man has died following a collision in Hazelwood North, south-east of Melbourne, at 9.30am on Saturday.
Investigators have been told two vehicles collided at the intersection of Jeeralang North Road and Hazelwood Road, with the sole occupant of one of the cars dying at the scene.
The driver of the second car was uninjured and stopped at the scene. The investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage in relation to the crashes to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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