By Marcus Uhe and Eleanor Wilson
Police are appealing for witnesses to a suspected hit-run that left a 73-year-old man for dead outside a primary school in Hampton Park on Friday 4 November.
Emergency services were called to reports of an injured man on the road at the intersection of Warana Drive and Kilberry Boulevard about 5.20am.
It’s understood a pedestrian was on his morning walk when he was hit by a vehicle at the intersection.
The pedestrian, a Hampton Park man, sadly died at the scene.
Police say the driver of the vehicle did not stop at the scene.
Major Collision Investigation Unit Sergeant Mark Amos said the 73 – year-old was on his way home from his morning walk when he was struck.
He said investigators will now turn their focus to identifying the vehicle and driver responsible.
“There’s CCTV from all sorts of places, but we’ve still got to work out what we’re actually looking for, because there’s car and buses and all sorts of vehicles in that CCTV, but we’ve actually got to work out which one of those vehicles is likely to be involved,” Sgt Amos said.
“I’ve been in this [work] for a long time now and I still cannot fathom why someone would drive off and leave a human being in the middle of the road to die.
“If you’re involved in a crash you stop. You stop and you deal with what you’ve got to deal with then and there. You don’t leave and let somebody else pick up the pieces.
Sgt Amos said the investigation is still in its early stages, but police are slowly gathering “bits and pieces” of evidence.
“There’s a lot of work to do in the reconstruction space…so it’s a little bit early to give any indication as to where it’s going or who’s at fault.”
The fatality occurred just metres from Kilberry Valley Primary School, adding a level of complexity to the investigation according to Sgt Amos.
“When we’re dealing with the body of a person… you don’t want to expose young children to those sorts of traumas,” Sgt Amos said.
It is believed the roads surrounding the crime scene were blocked in all directions by police from about 6am and students were directed to enter the school through alternate entrances.
Anyone with information or dash cam footage that could assist police with their enquiries is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au
