By Kath Gannaway
Lilydale Police say they are continuing their investigations into the circumstances behind a crash at Woori Yallock on Tuesday, 17 July.
A Croydon North motorbike rider escaped with minor injuries after being hit by a 4WD Pajero driven by a 63-year-old Gladysdale man who sustained serious injuries and remains in hospital in a stable condition.
The crash happened at around 10am on Warburton Highway near the intersection with Lusatia Park Road.
Senior Constable Chris Young from Lilydale Police said the Pajero was travelling towards Woori Yallock on the highway when, for reasons unknown, it veered on to the wrong side of the road and clipped the back of the bike which was travelling in the opposite direction.
The car continued on for about another 500 metres on the wrong side of the road before crossing back and colliding with a truck which was parked, unattended, in a gravel area off the highway.
Members of Wandin CFA Road Rescue unit cut the doors off the car to enable paramedics to remove the trapped driver who was taken by road ambulance to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with injuries to his head and abdomen.
SC Young said the bike rider had been lucky to escape with what was possibly a broken hand.
“Where the vehicle hit, clipping the bike at the back, he was just a school ruler’s length away from death,” he said.
He said police spoke with a number of witnesses at the scene and were looking into the circumstances that led to the crash.
