Man trapped for over two hours

By Jade Lawton
CATANI footballer Joe Camilleri is in intensive care with multiple injuries after a serious collision in Modella last week.
The 21-year-old was driving his Ford Falcon on Kooweerup – Longwarry Road on Tuesday when the vehicle left the road and entered a ditch alongside a concrete driveway around 4pm.
Paramedic team manager Gavan Keane said they arrived to find the car nose down, but completely upright, in an eight-foot drain.
“The car was wedged in the drain, extensively damaged and trapping the driver,” he said.
“We put a drip in his arm and he was given pain relief and fluids to help stabilise his condition.”
It took SES and CFA volunteers an hour to remove the car from the drain and another hour to cut Mr Camelleri from the wreckage.
He was airlifted to The Alfred in a critical condition.
Mr Camilleri’s mother, Dorothea, said the apprentice painter was doing “very well” despite injuries to his head and abdomen and fractures to his pelvis, legs and arms.
“He has multiple fractures to both his arms and legs, and cuts but they are healing well,” Mrs Camilleri said.
“He is doing remarkably well considering the nature of the accident.”
Mrs Camilleri said Joe, who plays for Catani’s Reserves, was disappointed he wouldn’t be able to complete the season.
“At first he didn’t have completely understand and said he should be out in a few weeks. But he’s looking forward to being able to see the finals at least,” she said.
“He is hoping to be healed for next year.”
Mrs Camilleri said she and Joe’s father John would like to thank the emergency crews who freed Joe; and also his boss, Danny Murphy, and family friend Tom Grant who have been giving her lifts to the train station so she can visit her son in hospital.
“They have been wonderful, and so have all the people who have called. He is a very likeable and outgoing person, he has a good sense of humour and everyone really loves him,” she said.
Drouin police are investigating the collision.