By Alesha Capone
Police have arrested a teenager following an alleged carjacking and assault in Hoppers Crossing earlier this month.
It is alleged the teenager, an 18-year-old man from Deer Park, was an occupant of a stolen Ford Falcon which crashed into two parked vehicles outside a car dealership on Heaths Road around 3.40am on November 7.
A security guard witnessed the crash and got out of his parked car to inspect the damage, when he was approached by the occupants of the stolen vehicle.
Police allege that one man forced entry to the security guard’s car, while four others assaulted him before they took off in his vehicle, a Hyundai Tucson.
It is alleged the stolen vehicle was used to ram a Holden utility on Ballarat Road in Deer Park around 5am, causing it to spin and hit a tree.
The occupant was treated at the scene for minor injuries and police later recovered the stolen Hyundai in Deer Park around 10.30am.
Detectives from Taskforce Wayward arrested an 18-year-old man in Werribee on Saturday, November 14.
The Deer Park man was charged with 14 offences including:
• two counts of theft of motor vehicle
• criminal damage
• two counts of recklessly cause injury
• two counts of unlawful assault
• carjacking
• reckless conduct endangering life
• intentionally damage property
• fail to render assistance
• fail to exchange details following collision
• two counts of intentionally cause injury
Three of the assault-related charges follow an unrelated matter in Werribee, which occurred on November 14.
The man faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and was remanded until November 30.
The investigation remains ongoing and detectives urge anyone with information in relation to the incident to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or file a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
