By BEN CAMERON
A driver is due to face court after he narrowly escaped death in a crash at Pakenham South on Tuesday afternoon.
Police said witnesses saw the 32-year-old man driving a Ford Falcon at high speed north along Kooweerup Road before the car hit a power pole near Ellett Road about 4pm.
Pakenham police Leading Senior Constable Anthony Templar said the Leongatha man had been driving erratically as he travelled north towards Pakenham, according to an eye witnesses.
“The car was driving between 90 and 100 kilometres an hour. And he didn’t brake,” he said.
Ldg Sen Const Templar said a farmer saw smoke and ran to the wreckage with a farm hand to pull the driver clear.
“He’s seriously injured his right arm, which will require surgery.”
Pakenham CFA station officer Graeme Symons said: “He was really lucky.
“The pole was shattered at the base. The car was 90 per cent destroyed.
“It only took us about five to 10 minutes to put it out.”
Kooweerup Road was blocked off causing havoc to local traffic.
Power was also disrupted as a crane was used to remove the pole from the car.
Three CFA appliances and SES members attended the scene.
An ambulance spokesperson said the man was taken to Dandenong Hospital in a stable condition but could not give further details on his injuries due to industrial action.
A Dandenong Hospital spokesperson was unable to provide an update on the man’s condition before the News went to press.
Police said the driver is expected to face Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on various traffic offences including careless driving.
