Man arrested after hit-run that killed elderly woman in Melbourne’s south-east

A killer driver is on the run after allegedly mowing down an elderly woman on Tuesday morning and fleeing the scene.

A crime scene has been set up on Frankston-Flinders Road, near Highland Drive in Frankston South, after reports that a vehicle had hit a pedestrian around 5.30am.

Police said the 83-year-old local woman died at the scene.

The vehicle involved, which police believe to be a dark-coloured SUV, then allegedly fled the scene, and was last spotted travelling west on Frankston-Flinders Rd.

Detective Sergeant Mark Amos from the major collision investigation unit said it possible that the woman was lying on the road when she was struck.

“Someone has hit her. We’re still investigating whether or not she was upstanding or if she was in fact lying on the road,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“Those sorts of answers will come to us in the course of time, but certainly, whoever was driving the car involved in it would have known they’ve hit something.

“That’s essentially our appeal for anybody that was in the Frankston-Flinders Road area heading towards Frankston. If you’re involved or if you know something about it, contact police straight away.”

He said the woman had since been identified, and officers had informed her family.

“One of the worst jobs you’ve ever got to do in policing is to go and knock on the door of a home and tell a family that their loved one has passed away as a result of a collision on the roads,” he said.

The road was blocked to traffic throughout the morning, but Amos said it was due to reopen “very soon”.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, has dashcam or CCTV, or anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

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