In short:
Footage obtained by Wyndham TV shows a 39-year-old Altona man driving the wrong way for several kilometres on the Princes Freeway, at one point heading directly into the path of a truck, before being arrested near Duncans Road in Werribee. The man faces multiple charges including reckless conduct endangering life following the early morning incident on Saturday, 13 June.
Boxed in near Duncans Road
Footage obtained by Wyndham TV captures the moment a 39-year-old Altona man allegedly drove for several kilometres into oncoming traffic on the Princes Freeway, at one point heading directly into the path of a truck, before police boxed him in near Duncans Road in Werribee in the early hours of Saturday, 13 June.
Police received multiple reports of a dark-coloured hatchback travelling outbound in the inbound lane of the Princes Freeway overnight. Officers located the vehicle near the intersection of Kororoit Creek Road in Laverton North about 2.20am.
Wyndham TV footage shows the driver swerving across the road in what appears to be an attempt to evade police capture, with other motorists forced to pull over as lights and sirens, and the out-of-control hatchback, bore down on them from the wrong direction.
At one point, the vehicle can be seen travelling directly into the path of a truck, which was forced to take evasive action.
When police attempted to intercept the car, it accelerated and fled the scene at speed.
Officers pursued the vehicle into Werribee, where they were able to box it in before it came to a stop near Duncans Road, the same stretch of freeway that has been the scene of previous serious incidents.
The driver was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, dangerous driving when being pursued by police, failing to stop a motor vehicle on request, and drug offences.
The man was taken to hospital as a precaution and is expected to appear before a bail and remand court later on Saturday.
It is not the first time the Princes Freeway has been the scene of a dangerous police pursuit in the Wyndham area. A previous incident involving a stolen vehicle on the freeway near Kororoit Creek Road resulted in multiple arrests after police vehicles were struck and the outbound lanes were gridlocked for over an hour.
