Woman gardening when ute ploughs into front yard
Updated . First published at
A woman tending to her front garden has escaped injury after an allegedly stolen car crashed into her yard in Melbourne's east.
The ute was seen swerving into oncoming traffic on Wattletree Road in Armadale about 11.30am yesterday before it ploughed into a brick fence where Wendy Aubrey was gardening.
"He just slewed across the road, up on the nature strip, and went through the front fence here, knocking it over," Aubrey said.
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The ute crashed into a brick fence just metres from where Wendy Aubrey was gardening. Nine
"Luckily I was choosing to garden in [another] part of the garden and not 10 metres away."
Police will allege the driver crashed moments after he rammed their car and another while trying to evade capture.
Nearby residents had reported him sleeping in the Hilux with its engine running around the corner.
When police arrived they tried to clamp the ute, but they were forced to smash a window and use capsicum spray when the man allegedly drove at them.
"There appeared to be a window smashed on one side to get him out but otherwise he took off pretty erratically up the footpath," witness Jacquie Baillie said.
"It was terribly scary for everybody involved, and I'm just so glad that no one was injured."
A 33-year-old man was charged with a string of offences including theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated burglary and possessing a controlled weapon.
He's been remanded to face the Melbourne Magistrates Court later this month.
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