
By Rebecca Fraser
A NARRE Warren father of four has been rocked by a near death experience.
Paul Harman was driving along the Monash Freeway on Friday when a rock thrown from an overpass bridge slammed into his four-wheel drive.
The 36-year-old said he was only centimetres from death when the missile shattered through his sunroof, spraying him with glass.
He veered over two lanes before halting to a stop in the emergency lane and almost rolled his car.
The union shop steward was driving home from work about 3pm when his car was struck by the rock about 15 metres before the Burke Road overpass.
He has since reported the incident to Narre Warren police and said he would now struggle to get back behind the wheel.
“I still cannot believe it,” Mr Harman said. “At the last second I saw an object from the side of my right eye and then it hit the top of my windscreen before shattering the sun roof.
“If you look where it hit the windscreen, it would have been me as well if it had been 10 centimetres lower. It would have been the end of me. It is a very scary thought.”
Mr Harman said it was lucky that no one was in the left lane at the time of the incident.
“Who knows what would have happened,” he said.
The incident has upset Mr Harman’s four children, aged between 10 and 17 years of age, and Mr Harman said he had driven home in shock.
He called for cameras to be installed on overpass bridges to protect motorists driving below and urged any witnesses to come forward.
“I got home and was in absolute shock.
“I stopped for a bit of a sulk on the freeway before driving home,” he said.
Mr Harman said he believed young people were involved and said people did not realise how dangerous their actions could be.
His car is yet to be repaired and is most likely a write off.
“It could have killed an innocent person.,” he said. “I am very lucky to be alive.”