A driver died in Melbourne after a stolen truck reportedly ran through a red light.

Early this morning, a man found himself in a hospital bed with police officers standing guard outside his room. The reason? He had allegedly caused a fatal accident while driving a stolen truck in Melbourne.

The incident took place in Footscray at around 4:30am. The man was behind the wheel of a white Nissan truck when he ran a red light at the intersection of Ballarat Road and Moore Street. As a result, he collided with a grey Toyota Corolla, forcing it onto the footpath. Tragically, the driver of the Corolla, who has not yet been identified, lost his life at the scene.

According to police, the stolen truck was first reported around 3am in the Beveridge area. It was then spotted in Truganina, prompting the authorities to call in the Air Wing for assistance. When the truck was located at Peterpaul Way and Schembri Drive, police attempted to intercept it. However, the driver refused to stop and instead sped off. In an effort to stop the truck, police deployed stop sticks, but unfortunately, they were unsuccessful on multiple occasions.

During this time, the driver of the truck continued to drive recklessly, even causing a non-injury collision with another vehicle. He then continued to speed, often driving on the wrong side of the road and running several red lights. Eventually, the chase came to a tragic end when the truck collided with the Toyota Corolla, resulting in the death of its driver.

The 40-year-old man from Deer Park, who was driving the stolen truck, was later arrested at the scene of the fatal crash. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital, where he remains under police guard. Further investigations revealed that the truck had been initially stolen on January 3 from the Kalkallo area. It was then found in Derrimut, and the owner was contacted on January 5. However, the truck was stolen again from Derrimut shortly after.

As a result of the accident, major roadblocks were put in place along Ballarat Road, causing significant delays for motorists. To stay updated on this developing story, download the 9News app, available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. With this app, you can stay informed on all the latest breaking news, sports, politics, and weather, with notifications sent straight to your smartphone.

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