By Luke Voogt
A heavily pregnant woman and her unborn child survived a truck crash that killed her fiance north-west of Geelong on Thursday morning.
The 32-year-old woman and the 40-year-old driver, both from South Australia, were en route from the Mildura area when the truck rolled near Maude at 2.20am
The truck was travelling downhill on Perdrisat Rd before the driver lost control, Bannockburn Sergeant Craig Grant said.
The truck was carrying a load of grapes to a local vineyard, he said.
“It’s quite steep decline going doing that hill and the truck hasn’t been able to slow down. He lost control as he went across the bridge over Moorabool River.”
The truck jack-knifed and rolled, destroying the cabin and trailer, Sgt Grant said.
“It was extensively damaged.”
The seriously injured woman crawled out of the cabin wreckage and called triple zero as her fiance died at the scene, Sgt Grant said.
Paramedics airlifted her to The Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, where she was recovering in stable condition, a hospital spokesperson said on Thursday afternoon.
Sgt Grant said the crash was “very tragic” but could have easily been worse.
“Given the extent of the damage of the truck she was extremely lucky to survive.”
Sgt Grant said truck drivers commonly used the road but he urged them to consider alternative routes.
“It’s a very steep valley so we’d certainly be recommending fully laden trucks don’t use it.”
Police were continuing their investigation when the Indy went to press.
The crash brought the Victorian Road toll to 63, compared to 79 at the same time in 2016.
