Whopper of a smash
A RUNAWAY motorist caused traffic chaos after careering into a light pole, over a traffic light and into the side of a Hungry Jack’s store at Waurn Ponds.
Police say the Torquay man, aged in his 60s, was heading east on the Princes Highway about 9.30am yesterday when it appears he lost control, leaving a trail of destruction more than 150m long.
Outbound lanes on the highway were closed for more than two hours near Pioneer Rd and Rossack Drive, with traffic diverted through the Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre car park while Powercor worked to fix the fallen pole left laying over two lanes of traffic.
Shocked Hungry Jack’s staff said they ran outside to find the blue Ford Ranger ute resting inside a storage room of the building after it had side swiped two employee cars.
Manager Sam Bellaart said it was lucky no one was more seriously hurt.
“It’s come straight through between two boxes before side swiping one car,” he said.
“It’s lucky no one was walking around,” he said. “We were inside having a meeting when we heard the bang and saw people running.”
Sergeant Peter Radford said police were investigating whyhy the incident occurred.
“He’s hit the light pole and manageded to manoeuvre throughugh two signal boxes beforeore ending up in the store room m of Hungry Jack’s,” Sgt Radford ford said.
“It’s unclear what’s caused him to do that. He was take to Geelong hospital in a stable ble condition.”