By Luke Voogt
A driver fleeing a Corio crash imprinted his rego on a car chasing him when he backed into it to escape, his victim has alleged.
“I knew I shouldn’t have chased him but I wanted to get his number plate,” the furious driver told the Indy on Thursday.
The driver, who declined to be identified until police finished investigating, said he began chasing the 2001 Ford ute when it collided with his Hyundai on Station Street on Wednesday night, 12 October.
He followed the ute along Georges Road and Iris Street but lost sight of it before pulling up behind the Ford at the intersection of Carmellia Crescent.
The ute reversed into the driver’s Hyundai before he could react then fled again, he said.
“It happened so quick I didn’t even know what happened.
“As he hit me he’s gone over the gutter and a give-way sign as well.”
The collision was violent enough to imprint the ute’s number plate on the Hyundai’s bonnet.
Bell Post Hill’s Nick Cross, who recently made headlines for his crime-reporting Facebook page, said one of his friends living nearby dialled triple zero after the second crash.
“The impact was that strong that it bent his steering wheel and his hand has gone through his dash,” Mr Cross said.
The CFA arrived soon after the crash, treating cuts to the driver’s hand.
The driver waited almost two hours for police until attending Corio’s station instead, Mr Cross said.
Sergeant Tony French warned citizens against pursuing offenders.
The Hyundai driver’s decision to tail the alleged offender turned an initially “minor accident” into a write-off, Sgt French said.
“We’d recommend pulling over and ringing triple zero rather than following someone, which could end up in a dangerous situation.”
Sgt French urged anyone with information on the incident to phone Corio Police Station on 5273 9555 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
