Police have charged two Berwick men and an Officer man with a string of offences following a number of alleged hooning incidents in Melbourne’s South East last year, including swapping places in the driver’s seat while travelling at 100km/h.
Police originally arrested a 19-year-old Berwick man Friday 28 April, 2023 for allegedly traveling at speeds above 260km/h along the Monash Freeway near the Ernst Wanke Road exit at about 2.30am on Tuesday 25 April.
Police initially charged him with 27 traffic-related offences, before that number rose to 110 offences, including reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, driving at a dangerous speed and racing with another vehicle.
He has been scheduled to face Dandenong Magistrates Court again on Wednesday 24 January.
Investigators from the Achilles Taskforce seized several mobile phones from the man’s Berwick home at the time of his arrest, uncovering vision of two additional males allegedly seat swapping, leaving the vehicle driverless at 100km/h on the Monash Freeway on Tuesday 25 April 2023.
Police then charged a second 19-year-old Berwick man and an 18-year-old Officer man from Officer on Monday 2 January for their alleged involvement in the incident.
Police charged the 19-year-old man with 42 offences, including five counts of reckless conduct endangering life, five counts of reckless conduct endangering serious injury, four counts of loss of traction and travelling at 202km/h.
Vision obtained from the phones also allegedly showed the 19-year-old racing another vehicle on the Monash Freeway, reaching speeds in excess of 200km/h.
Police subsequently seized his BMW 330i during a search warrant on Thursday 21 December, with the 19-year-old man set to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates Court in January.
Police charged the 18-year-old Officer man, who was a minor at the time, with one count of reckless conduct endangering life and one count of reckless conduct endangering serious injury, with the 18-year-old set to face a Childrens Court at a later date.
To report any anti-social behaviour or reckless driving, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
