WANTIRNA SOUTH, VIC – A devastating crash in Melbourne’s east has left one woman dead and a two-year-old boy fighting for his life after a 91-year-old driver lost control of her vehicle on Coleman Road in Wantirna South just after noon on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
According to Victoria Police, the elderly driver of a Toyota Yaris mounted the footpath and struck three pedestrians — a 59-year-old woman, a 60-year-old man, and a two-year-old boy — before ploughing through a fence and coming to rest near a playground. The vehicle had veered off course approximately 40 to 50 metres before the initial impact and continued for another 200 metres, also striking a street sign.
Tragically, the 59-year-old woman died at the scene. The man and young child sustained serious to life-threatening injuries and were transported to the hospital. While the exact relationship between the victims has not yet been confirmed, authorities believe the three were related and had been walking together in the same direction as the car’s travel.
“It came from behind,” said Superintendent Justin Goldsmith, describing the terrifying moment of impact. “Thankfully, no one at the park was injured.” The vehicle came to a halt just metres from a children’s playground.
The driver, who suffered minor injuries and was said to be “terribly shaken”, was taken to hospital for assessment and blood testing. Police have not yet interviewed her, and investigations are ongoing.
Authorities are now working to determine what caused the driver to lose control. Early indications suggest speed may have been a factor, especially given the downhill gradient of Coleman Road. “If there has been a lack of control to some degree, there is a possibility the car would have picked up speed,” Supt Goldsmith said.
The crash occurred during the first week of the Victorian school holidays and adds to what police are calling a horrific month of road trauma. The state’s road toll has climbed to 14 fatalities in just the past seven days.
This tragedy is another in a growing list of devastating incidents involving out-of-control vehicles. In one recent case last November, a kindergarten worker and a three-year-old boy were injured when a runaway truck crashed through the fence of a Macedon Ranges preschool.
As investigators work to determine what led to this terrible crash, the community is left in mourning — yet again reminded of the fragile line between ordinary life and irreversible tragedy.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.
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