“I don’t want my officers to have to tell another family their loved one is never coming home; however, the reality is this is inevitable unless we see a significant mindset change among some local motorists.”

Those are the words of Shepparton’s top police officer, Superintendent Brett Kahan, after a horror few days on Greater Shepparton roads, that included a serious crash by a vehicle that had earlier allegedly been driving at 200km/h, three drink drivers caught at about three times the legal alcohol limit in less than two hours, and a crash that involved two drug drivers.

The horror few days started with a serious crash on Goulburn Valley Hwy, near Riverside Plaza, in Kialla at 11.15pm on Thursday, July 3, where a ute hit a light pole.

Police said the ute, and a car it was travelling in convoy with, had earlier allegedly been travelling at about 200km/h in Wyndham St near the skate park.

The three occupants of the car were all taken to hospital in Melbourne.

Drink drivers are another major concern for local police, with three drivers caught within one hour and 42 minutes of each other at about three times the legal alcohol limit on Sunday morning.

A 22-year-old woman from NSW allegedly recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.132 when she was stopped at 12.25am on Drummond Rd in Shepparton.

Her licence was immediately suspended for 12 months, and she is expected to be summoned to the Shepparton Magistrates’ Court at a later date.

Forty-seven minutes later, a 40-year-old Shepparton man allegedly recorded a blood alcohol concentration of 0.197 on Wyndham St, Shepparton.

His driver’s licence was already disqualified, and his car was impounded for 30 days at a cost of $1200.

The third driver, a 29-year-old Mooroopna man, allegedly blew 0.156 at 2.07am in Mooroopna.

His licence was immediately suspended for 12 months, and he will appear at Shepparton Magistrates’ Court at a later date.

Shepparton Highway Patrol also detected a 51-year-old woman and 42-year-old man allegedly driving on methamphetamines on Friday night, as well as responding to a collision on Monday where both female drivers allegedly tested positive to methamphetamines.

Supt Kahan, who is in charge of Eastern Region Division 3, has had enough.

“Some of the driving we’re seeing on local roads is nothing short of brain-dead – the time has come to say enough is enough,” he said.

“We’ve seen a car speed through Shepparton’s CBD at 200km/h and drivers caught on a cocktail of drugs.

“In the space of less than two hours on Sunday morning, officers nabbed three drivers who were between three and four times the legal limit.

This wave of driving offences comes despite police running several recent operations, with police catching 90 drivers speeding or drink or drug-driving as part of a three-month operation targeting high-risk driving across the Goulburn Valley between March and June.

A total of 124 drivers received a fine or a date at court for driving offences as part of the operation.

This included 78 drivers caught speeding, 16 disqualified drivers, nine drug drivers and one drink driver.

Operation Nightlight — staged from June 26-29 — saw two drug drivers, three drink drivers and five speeding drivers caught.

This included a 48-year-old Mooroopna man allegedly detected with both methamphetamine and cannabis in his system.

Ten people have been killed on Goulburn Valley roads this year, while 148 people have been seriously injured in collisions.

Overall, there have been 159 lives lost on Victorian roads this year.

“Police are out in force and have taken numerous dangerous drivers off the roads in recent months during planned road safety operations,” Supt Kahan said.

“However, the reality is we cannot prevent deaths and serious injuries from occurring if this level of selfishness and stupidity continues.

“If you choose to speed or drive while under the influence, the best-case scenario is losing your license or having your car impounded.

“The worst outcome does not bear thinking about.”

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Monday, 18th September 2023

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