In short:
A teenage boy has died after a stolen car allegedly linked to an attempted carjacking crashed and rolled on Derrimut Road in Hoppers Crossing. Police say seven teenagers were in the vehicle as Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives examine the fatal crash.
Attempted Carjacking Leads to Deadly Crash
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are continuing to investigate a fatal collision in Hoppers Crossing this morning.
Police allege a stolen grey Skoda sedan carrying seven teenage occupants was pursuing the occupants of a Toyota sedan along Derrimut Road just after 12am, in what appears to have been an attempted carjacking.
Investigators say the vehicles were travelling at speed when the Skoda allegedly deliberately collided with the rear of the Toyota before colliding with two other vehicles — a Ford sedan and a Ford Ranger.
The Skoda then rolled several times before coming to rest in the front yard of a nearby residence.
One of the occupants, a 15-year-old boy from the Wyndham area, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
The front passenger, a 16-year-old girl from the Wyndham area, sustained serious injuries and was transported to hospital under police guard.
A third occupant, a 17-year-old boy from the Wyndham area, was arrested and taken to hospital under police guard.
A fourth occupant, a 16-year-old girl from the Wyndham area, was arrested at the scene and was not injured.
A fifth occupant, a 14-year-old boy from the Wyndham area, later presented to a nearby hospital where he was arrested.
The sixth and seventh occupants fled the scene. Detectives are urging those people to come forward.
At this stage, investigators say it remains unclear who was driving the Skoda at the time of the incident.
Police seized an edged weapon at the scene and also located a quantity of alcohol inside the vehicle.
The three occupants of the Toyota sedan were not injured.
The sole occupants of both the Ford sedan and Ford Ranger sustained minor injuries.
Police believe the Skoda had been stolen from an address on Yellow Box Street in Maidstone sometime between 11 and 12 March.
Inspector Craig McEvoy from the Major Collision Investigation Unit said the crash could easily have been far worse.
“This is a shocking circumstance that could have resulted in multiple fatalities. We could have had five, six, seven people deceased,” he said.
“Members of the public who are going about their everyday life have now been significantly impacted by the trauma of something completely avoidable.”
“This is not a PlayStation game where you can hit reset and start again. This is real lives, real situations that cannot be undone.”
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
