Father’s plea to hitrun driver

By Rebecca Fraser
THE father of a Berwick man who was run over and left for dead has urged the driver to come forward.
The 23yearold was run over at the corner of High Street and Manuka Road about 4am on Sunday, 30 April.
The incident left the military officer, who does not want to be identified for security reasons, with a smashed right hip, broken left leg, groin injuries and a cut to his leg that has caused significant nerve damage.
His father this week said it was lucky that his son had not bled to death and was extremely thankful that a car full of youths had discovered him lying on the road shortly after the incident.
The man underwent three operations at The Alfred hospital following the hit and run and has only just returned home from rehabilitation.
He has been given 12 months leave from the military, but his father said it was not known what impact his injuries would have on his career.
Police said the man was returning home from a friend’s house when he stumbled on the road and they believed he was run over while lying on the ground.
“This is a real threat to his career. He can walk on crutches for a short distance but the rest of the time he is in a wheelchair,” his father said.
“We think he will be able to walk, but we do not know if he will be able to run or if he will have a limp or something more debilitating.”
The father of three said he understood that accidents did happen but could not believe that someone could keep driving and not even call for help.
“What I struggle with is the fact that he was left lying on the road. He could not move and thought he had spinal injuries. He thought another car was going to come along and clean him up.
“That is what really upsets us. He could have lay there and just bled to death.
“That just tears us apart. He was left for dead and that breaks our hearts,” he said.
He urged the person involved or anyone with information to come forward.
“It is such an unconscionable act. What about if that was their son or their relative left out there?
“It is the lowest act anyone can do. For peace of mind and for conscious sake and from a morality point of view they should come forward,” he said.
Anyone with any information regarding the incident is asked to contact Constable Steven Hoy of Narre Warren police on 97053111 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.