NEWS DESK Police patrol
With Stephen Taylor
Under guard after alleged ramming A MAN who allegedly twice rammed police patrol cars spent the night under guard in Frankston Hospital before fronting Frankston Magistrates’ Court last week. Police cornered the 21-year-old around 1.30am, Thursday 1 August, in a Moorooduc Highway service road near Humphries Road, Frankston South. They said he deliberately reversed the stolen car he was driving into them and attempted to run off but was caught after a brief chase. Police searched the vehicle and allegedly found a quantity of knives and stolen number plates. They said the man had earlier rammed a police car in Frankston South and attempted to ram two others in Mornington and Hastings earlier in the night. No police were injured in the incidents. The man, of no fixed address, was interviewed by Frankston CIU detectives on Thursday morning and on Friday was sent to Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a filing hearing. He is facing 25 charges – most relating to the alleged ramming incidents – as well as theft of a car, three of theft from cars, unlicensed driving, reckless conduct endangering life, dangerous driving, possessing methyl-amphetamine, resisting arrest, breaching bail, intentionally ramming police, and dangerous driving.
Fatal at Tyabb A MAN who died when his car left the road and crashed into a tree at Tyabb, Thursday 24 July, was in the process of moving into a new house at Hastings. The man, in his 70s, was travelling along Frankston-Flinders Road about 2.30pm when he lost control of the car he had bought only an hour before.
The man’s wife, who was following a few cars behind, reportedly did not see the incident, 200-metres south of the entrance to Padua College. Acting Sergeant Anthony Deason, of Somerville Highway Patrol, said police at the scene comforted the woman while relatives made their way from Brighton. Emergency services were unable to save the man. Frankston-Flinders Road was closed between the Padua College entrance and the Western Port Highway for several hours, with parents on school pick-up having to come from the Tyabb township side.
Mother terrified A TERRIFIED mother and two young children were confronted by a man and a woman brandishing an axe and a cricket bat inside their Berry Court, Mornington, home, Thursday 25 July. Jewellery and other items were stolen in the 7.20pm incident. Detectives later arrested a man, 18, at another location. He was charged with aggravated burglary and remanded to appear vat court at later date. The woman has not been found.
Not talking A ROSEBUD man is “not cooperating” with police after presenting at Rosebud Hospital with stab wounds, 2.50am, Saturday 27 July. Detective Senior Sergeant Al Paxton, of Somerville CIU, said the man, 28, was taken by ambulance to The Alfred hospital with serious injuries. He is said to be in a stable condition. It is not known where or how the incident occurred.
Alarm alert A MT ELIZA man alerted by a silent alarm was able to watch on his phone from another location as two men wearing balaclavas tried to force the front door of his house, 5.33am, Saturday 27 July. Detective Senior Sergeant Al Paxton, of Somerville CIU, said the man called police who rushed to the Fulton Road house as the men sped off towards Nepean Highway in a grey 2000 Ford sedan. They were not able to apprehend them. Police canvassed houses in the street and found a neighbour had been robbed of cash and jewellery, another neighbour’s garage had been broken into and alcohol stolen and two cars opened and searched in the driveway next door. Anyone with information about these crimes is urged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000.
Reset safety values POLICE Operation Reset held over the weekend was aimed at encouraging drivers on the Mornington Peninsula to reset their attitudes towards road safety. Southern Metro Region Acting Commander Tony Silva said Operation Reset provided a “highly visible presence of police with a particular focus on known road trauma locations”. “We are incredibly saddened by how many lives have already been lost in Victoria’s south east this year, with 24 people not returning home to their families.” This is double the number of lives lost at this time last year. Acting Commander Silva said: “We are seeing reckless speed, failure to give way and impaired driving as they key contributing factors to fatal
collisions in the south east. “Not arriving at your destination isn’t worth the five minutes you gain from speeding or not driving to the conditions.” Police made sure they had a visible presence on the highways, backstreets and off-road locations to ensure motorists thought twice about their behaviour. “Every time a motorist sees police on the road it is a reminder to follow the road rules.”
Not wasting time THE female partner of a man who blew more than three times the legal limit blasted police for “wasting our time”. Somerville Highway Patrol members pulled over the 51-year-old Skye man in McClelland Drive, 9.15pm, Wednesday 31 July. After blowing positive he was asked to return to Carrum Downs police station for an evidential breath test. There the woman “became abusive towards the testing officer, setting a poor example for the young teenage girl in the back seat”, Senior Constable Greg Wolfe said. The man blew 0.159 per cent – or more than three times the limit – and had his licence immediately suspended. When they were leaving the station the woman “again started swearing and abusing the processing officer in the company of the teenage girl”. Senior Constable Wolfe said her philosophy “appeared to be that police were wasting their time doing this to them, and should be out catching criminals instead”. “The officer rightly pointed out that the highway patrol was specifically tasked to reduce road trauma, and that removing her drunk driver from the road was helping do just that.” The man’s new company car with only 300 kilometres on the speedo was impounded. He will be summonsed to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court at a later date.
at Mornington Peninsula Libraries Have a moment of science: always question, always wonder.
Digging Dinosaurs
A week of free science and technology events to inspire the Mornington Peninsula community!
Have a roaring great time learning about dinosaurs in this hands-on science workshop designed to look at palaeontology in a realistic way. Ages 5-8 Mornington: Sat 10 August, 10.30am Ages 8-12 Mornington: Sat 10 August, 11.30am
Science Week 2019 takes off on Saturday 10 August with an open day at Mornington Library!
Dr Darlene Lim, NASA Geobiologist
Ages 5-12
Adult Audience
Fizzle and Pop Science Show Ages 6-12 Enjoy the magic of science with fun, creative demonstrations. There will be plenty of hands-on opportunities for children to enjoy with wonder! Hastings: Tues 13 August, 3.45pm
Plus much more! All events:
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Southern Peninsula News 7 August 2019
Dr Darlene Lim leads several NASA-funded research programs focusing on future human spaceflight into deep space Mars. Dr Lim will share her experiences working in the Arctic, the Antarctic, and underwater where she has piloted submersibles as a scientist and explorer. Mornington: Sun 11 August, 11am
Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society Adult Audience Founded in 1969 to foster and promote amateur Astronomy in the community, join the Society as they celebrate 50 years! Mornington: Tues 13 August, 6.30pm
ourlibrary.mornpen.vic.gov.au/events