A TOW TRUCK driver winching aboard a broken down car on Peninsula Link had his arm ripped off when his rig was struck by a speeding motorist, 3.30pm, Tuesday 14 November.
The 30-year-old Hampton Park man’s arm was found 70 metres away after the crash.
The southbound lanes of Peninsula Link between Eastlink and Frankston-Dandenong Rd were closed for the evening peak after an earlier major collision.
Police said the Nationwide tow truck driver was assisting a four-wheel-drive with motorbike trailer attached when a wayward Holden Commodore drove into the emergency lane at speed and struck the rear of the trailer.
The collision severed the tow truck driver’s arm above the elbow and caused the Commodore to become airborne and flip onto its roof ending up further down the freeway.
The tow truck driver said to be in a state of shock was taken by road ambulance to The Alfred hospital for surgery to reattach his arm, which was collected by a motorist who walked along the freeway searching for it. He was reported to be in a serious but stable condition on Friday.
The 38-year-old Frankston North man driving the Commodore was released from Frankston Hospital and was later expected to be interviewed by detectives.
Anyone who witnessed the collision, or who saw the Commodore immediately prior to the collision, is asked to call Leading Senior Constable Barry Judge at Somerville Highway Patrol 5978 1300 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Dash cam footage is especially wanted by detectives.
First published in the Mornington News – 21 November 2017
