On Thursday night, police in an unmarked car spotted a car being driven erratically in the area of Synnot Street in Werribee shortly after 9.00pm.
After observing the car veer onto the wrong side of the road and collide with a passing vehicle, officers followed the car onto Derrimut Road where it continued to drive recklessly.
In order to ensure safety, police attempted to intercept the car, prompting a pursuit. The car ultimately ended up in a shopping centre carpark in Hoppers Crossing where it collided with two parked cars and a Dog Squad vehicle.
The driver tried to flee the scene but was apprehended by police. A 35–year–old Maidstone man has been taken to hospital under guard, while the police dog sustained facial and leg injuries in the collision and was taken to a vet.
This arrest was part of Operation Shows, a police initiative that was launched in January 2022 to crack down on motorbike riders and young drivers who engage in dangerous and reckless driving, as well as those who try to evade police.
As part of this operation, uniform police work in collaboration with the Highway Patrol, Wyndham Crime Investigation Unit, Divisional Response Unit, and Victoria Police Air Wing, with the Dog Squad available to search for offenders who attempt to flee.
Thanks to the intense police presence in the area, other offenders are also frequently identified and arrested.
