Teenagers arrested over Shepparton car chase; Operation Travel Safe’s first week pleases police

By Max Stainkamph

Mar 2, 2023

Good signs: Police have been pleased with the start to Operation Travel Safe bar one incident where two teenagers were arrested. Photo by McPherson Media Group

Two teenagers have been arrested following an incident involving dangerous driving across Shepparton last week, but otherwise police have had a successful response to week one of Operation Travel Safe, with no serious collisions or lives lost on the region’s roads in the past week.

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Operation Travel Safe began as a response to the horrific start to the year on the region’s roads, with 12 deaths in just two months to start 2023.

Shepparton police Acting Inspector David Gillespie said he was happy to report no serious injury or deaths in the week from February 22 to March 1.

However, the region was lucky to escape a serious incident on February 26, when an allegedly stolen car was nudged off the road by police following a high-speed chase across the city involving the Air wing.

“A 17-year-old from Mooroopna and a 14-year-old from Moe ran on foot from the vehicle but were arrested nearby and are currently assisting police with their enquiries,” Acting Insp Gillespie said.

He said highway patrol officers did attend one collision in Shepparton on February 22 where police say the driver had alcohol in their system.

“The cause of this collision appears to be driver error combined with the presence of alcohol,” Acting Insp Gillespie said.

“Police are still investigating the circumstances and a brief of evidence will be compiled for a later court date.”