Choppers circle Phillip Island after driver flees scene of fatal crash
A driver has fled the scene of a fatal crash on Phillip Island, leaving his passenger to die after the car hit a tree.
Police are searching for the man after emergency services arrived at the scene of the single vehicle crash just before 6am on Monday.
The car is believed to have lost control at the intersection of Phillip Island Road and Ventnor Road in Cowes. It struck a tree and the 28-year-old passenger died at the scene.
The driver was not in the car when emergency services arrived. Police are now searching for the man.
Detectives from the major collision investigation unit are investigating, with locals saying helicopters are circling the island looking for the driver.
The death of the man brings the 2019 road toll to 89, compared with 58 last year.
On Sunday afternoon, a five-year-old girl and 70-year-old woman died in a car crash in Victoria’s north-west that left three other people injured.
Road policing command acting Assistant Commissioner Neville Taylor said those who died were all part of the same family.
The double fatality occurred on the Murray Valley Highway in Robinvale about 5pm on Sunday. Police and emergency services were still at the scene at 7am on Monday.
A man also died after his car struck a tree in Merrigum, near Shepparton in central Victoria, on Sunday morning. A 44-year-old Undera man, the driver of the car, died at the scene.
The rising death toll comes as Victoria Police revealed six new booze buses rolled out as part of a campaign to reduce drink and drug driving have been taken off the roads after officers raised concerns about their safety.
Mr Taylor said the six buses which were introduced as part of a campaign last month would now undergo testing by engineers, safety consultants and the manufacturers.
A report about their safety will be delivered to police on April 30. The ten buses cost $11.5 million and were funded by the Transport Accident Commission.
"That decision is about the safety of our police officers," he said.
"Like with any new technology or equipment, often until it's tested in an operational environment, where we learn sometimes things might need modifying. Having heard that, having spoken to members, it was a decision made to take six buses of the road to be fully assessed."
He refused to say who was responsible for any faults in the vehicles.
However, he said police had added 300 extra road policing shifts to the end of May and promised it would have "no impact on roadside drug and alcohol testing" in Victoria.
"We still have six booze buses we operate and all those buses will be used in road operations right through Easter," he said.
Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au