Wednesday, 11 March, 2020
Pakenham
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A big thank you to emergency services By Mitchell Clarke
Getting behind the emergency services are, back row, Wade Calderwood, Shane Miller, Isobel Caulfield and Simon Dunstan. Front row: Rod Fitzsimmons, Malcolm Semmens, Brad Battin, Mark Lane, Mark Caulfield and Garry Cooper. 205737 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Emergency services personnel who spent their festive season fighting fires will be given an opportunity to celebrate with their loved ones at the Pakenham Racing Club. The ‘Thank Your Emergency Services’ race night, an initiative by Gembrook MP Brad Battin, will encourage all paid and volunteer emergency service personnel to attend the night of fun on Thursday 2 April. “With many of our emergency services having to give up their summers and spend time away from their family over the festive season, this event will hopefully give them a night with their families to remember,” Mr Battin said.
Pakenham Racing Club’s Wade Calderwood said the racecourse will provide the “perfect backdrop” for the event. “The PRC look forward to seeing a bumper crowd on the night and are proud to show our support for those workers and their families who were amazing during the Bunyip and recent Gippsland bushfires,” he said. The night is set to showcase community spirit at its best, with the Rotary Clubs of Pakenham and Berwick providing volunteers for the evening. The event invitation has been extended to the general public, all encouraged to get down and support the event.
Joy ride horror By Mitchell Clarke An elderly Pakenham woman is lucky to be alive after a group of hoons allegedly sped through a red light and crashed into her vehicle at speed. Police attempted to intercept a black Holden Commodore sedan, which was seen speeding north of McGregor Road in the early hours of Saturday morning, 7 March. It’s understood the vehicle, which was unregistered, sped away which forced police to give up the chase. A short time later, it’s alleged the vehicle drove through a red traffic light at the intersection of Princes Highway and McGregor Road, colliding head on with a white Holden Commodore.
That vehicle was being driven by the 71-year-old Pakenham woman, who was the sole occupant. Remarkably, she was taken to hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries. Witnesses have described the scene as “absolute carnage” and said it was a miracle there were no fatalities. The offending driver, a 19-year-old Sunshine man, was conveyed to hospital under police guard with non-life threatening injuries. An air ambulance was dispatched to the scene to airlift the front seat passenger, a 16-year-old Pakenham boy who had received serious injuries, to hospital under police guard. Pakenham Road Rescue Unit, which comprises of Pakenham SES and Nar Nar Goon
CFA, used hydraulic tools to free the passenger who was extensively trapped by his feet. It’s understood both men were expected to be interviewed for a number of traffic offences. Three passengers in the back seat, two 17-year-old Pakenham girls and a 16-year-old Pakenham girl received minor injuries and were released pending further enquiries. The arrests form part of Operation Arid, a four-day focus to keep the community safe on the roads during the Labour Day long weekend. The state-wide operation aims to reduce road trauma and involves all available personnel including local road policing units, general duties, other operational policing units and centralised resources from the road policing command.
The crumpled remains of the black Commodore. It’s not believed the driver has been charged yet, with a spokesperson Victoria Police’s media unit stating there are no updates and the investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the collision or who has dashcam footage is being urged to come forward.
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