Driver critical after crash
A 52 year-old Churchill man is in a critical condition after his car collided with a tree when it ran off the road near Churchill on Tuesday morning.
Churchill police Sergeant Phil den Houting said the driver was travelling towards Churchill when his car ran off the road at the Fourth Road roundabout and collided with two large, round hay bales before colliding with a tree.
“The driver received serious injuries and was conveyed to Latrobe Regional Hospital before being transferred to The Alfred (hospital),” Sgt den Houting said.
Sgt den Houting said as of Wednesday morning the man remained in a critical condition.
Churchill police are investigating the cause of the crash.
Petrol station hold-up
Police are appealing for witnesses after a man held up a petrol station in Morwell overnight on Tuesday.
Latrobe Criminal Investigation Unit Senior Constable Andrew Barter said an unknown offender entered the United petrol station in Princes Drive shortly after midnight on Wednesday and demanded money.
Snr Const Barter said the man made a threat to assault the attendant with a weapon, but did not appear to have any weapon on him.
“He obtained a sum of money from the attendant and left the store on foot, possibly in the northerly direction,” Snr Const Barter said.
The man is described as being in his late 20s early 30s, but was using his clothing to cover his face.
The attendant was uninjured.
Police have urged anyone who might have seen someone acting suspiciously in the area or witnessed the crime to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Fog possible cause
Police are warning drivers to slow down in foggy conditions, after a log truck and milk tanker collided on Tramway Road, 600 metres south of Bond’s Lane, on Monday morning.
Latrobe Highway Patrol Senior Constable Bromley Llewellyn said the collision occurred at 8.10am when the milk tanker exited a private property and made a right-hand turn onto the road.
Snr Const Llewellyn said the driver of the log truck, coming from the Morwell direction, did not see the vehicle through the thick fog and hit the tanker side on.
He said the driver of the log truck received facial injuries, which required surgery at Latrobe Regional Hospital, while the tanker driver was uninjured.
“The log truck had extensive damage to the prime mover. It may be written off. The milk tanker had extensive damage to tanker body as well as to the rear of the prime mover,” Snr Const Llewellyn said.
He said while at the scene, emergency crews had to avoid other cars that were approaching the scene at high speed.
“All motorists need to slow down and drive with extreme caution in the thick fog,” he said.
“Just because the sign says 100km doesn’t mean you have to do it.”
Snr Const Llewellyn said while fog may have been a factor in the crash, the investigation was ongoing.
