CITY’S DAY OF SMASHES
A WAYWARD car smashed through a Geelong shopfront in one of three dramatic crashes across the region yesterday.
The white sedan left a trail of destruction along a Moorabool St footpath when it struck a shopfront veranda before crashing into the fence of a nearby house.
Workers at the popular Lily Pond boutique could be seen consoling one another minutes after the 4.15pm crash.
Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman Lana Wilson said paramedics had taken one person to Geelong hospital.
The patient — a woman in her 40s — is understood to be the driver of the car.
While details surrounding the cause of the crash could not be confirmed, the damage appeared to be extensive — with awning, pot plants and other material strewn across Moorabool St.
Geelong police detective Senior Sergeant Gary Wilson said the circumstances of the incident were under investigation.
Witness Rae Hassell told the Geelong Advertiser she heard a “big bang” about 4.15pm but didn’t think much of it until she heard sirens.
“It was about five minutes later that I heard the fireys and came out and saw what happened,” Ms Hassell said.
Hours earlier an elderly woman was taken to hospital after crashing a panelbeaters’ courtesy car into Officeworks.
Emergency services were called to the accident near Malop St about 11.30am, where an 81-yearold had crashed a blue Volkswagen Polo into the wall of the Officeworks building. Police said the Leopold woman accidentally hit the accelerator as she backed out of the Malop St parking bay.
“Then she’s gone straight into the concrete wall,” Sergeant Troy Groves said.
Paramedics took the woman to Geelong hospital in a stable condition.
In a third incident, one person was taken to hospital following a collision at one of the region’s most notorious roads.
Emergency crews attended the smash at Norlane near the corner of Thompson and Sparks roads at 11.50am.
There have been four fatalities on Thompson Rd this year.
Paramedics assessed two people at the scene, with one being taken to Geelong hospital in a stable condition.