A 49-year-old Oakleigh man was arrested after video footage captured a Ford Ranger screaming down inner-city Melbourne streets on screeching, fiery rims, colliding with at least 10 parked and moving vehicles across Richmond, Collingwood and Fitzroy.
The vehicle was first reported to police for driving on the wrong side of the road and on rims in the Yarra area. Officers spotted it on Highett Street in Richmond and initiated a short pursuit before the ute crashed on York Street around 7pm. Video from the scene shows the vehicle on Church Street near Coles, severely angled with its front right wheel stuck at nearly 90 degrees to the rest of the frame, sending bright sparks flying from its rims as it travelled across the tram tracks.
According to 9News, the driver hit four vehicles on York Street specifically, then collided with approximately six other cars across the Collingwood and Fitzroy areas during the rampage. After crashing on York Street, the driver fled on foot. Police caught up with him shortly after and took him into custody. A search of the vehicle uncovered a quantity of drugs.
Despite the extensive collisions and the dramatic nature of the incident, no one was injured. The 49-year-old was being interviewed by police as of the evening of the incident. Victoria Police called on members of the public with dashcam or CCTV footage to come forward, urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.
The incident underscores the dangers of reckless driving in busy urban areas. The vehicle's condition, with its rims exposed and wheels locked at extreme angles, suggests either mechanical failure or deliberate disabling of the vehicle that somehow continued to be driven. The behaviour and the discovery of drugs in the vehicle raises questions about the circumstances that led to the rampage, though Victoria Police's investigation is still ongoing.