Police swoop on accused
Bell Post Hill streets locked down
THE driver charged over a horror smash that caused the death of an unborn child has been arrested in dramatic circumstances after he failed to front court last month.
Police from the Special Operations Group were called to assist Geelong officers make the arrest.
During yesterday’s operation some Bell Post Hill streets were locked down for more than an hour.
It is understood 57-year-old Shane Bausch, who is facing a string of dangerous driving charges in the County Court, was arrested just before 3pm.
Mr Bausch had been placed on the Geelong police most wanted list late last month after he failed to appear in court.
He was due to appear at the County Court in mid-October after a judge last year ordered him to stand trial over the 2016 Bannockburn crash.
Among the charges he is facing are dangerous driving causing serious injury, negligently causing serious injury and dangerous driving.
It is alleged Mr Bausch was driving a car involved in a collision with the car driven by the pregnant woman. It is also alleged Mr Bausch had ice and other drugs in his system at the time of the crash.
The Ballarat North woman suffered serious injuries and was flown to hospital where her 31-week-old unborn child died.
Mr Bausch avoided culpable driving charges because under Victorian law a foetus is not recognised as a child until it has taken a breath.
But foetuses of more than 20 weeks’ gestation are counted towards the state’s road toll.