Jaws of life free injured man after ute rolls near Cobden

Two men were lucky to survive a utility rollover near Cobden yesterday.

The Warrnambool men were travelling towards Colac on the Cobden-Stoneyford Road when the ute left the road and rolled several times.

Police and paramedics were called to the crash at 2.28pm where the passenger, a 43-year-old man, was trapped for about an hour.

Leading senior constable Andy Prisco, from Cobden police, said SES members used the jaws of life to free the man.

He said the silver ute travelled about 50 metres from where it left the road and ended up in the paddock.

The passenger was taken by air ambulance to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

The driver, a 41-year-old man, was treated at the scene and taken by road ambulance to Camperdown hospital for observation.

Leading Senior Constable Prisco said the stretch of road was known to police for its black spots.

“We could  have been easily attending a fatal crash,” he said.

He said the cause of the crash was still being investigated.

Meanwhile, an elderly Warrnambool woman was taken to hospital for assessment after being involved in a two-car accident at the intersection of Hider Street and Raglan Parade yesterday morning.

Acting Sergeant Rachell Field, officer in charge of the Warrnambool highway patrol unit, said it was a simple case of a vehicle failing to give way and it was expected that a penalty notice would be issued to the offending driver.

It is the second time there has been an accident at the intersection in a matter of days.

Acting Sergeant Field requested that drivers pay particular attention, especially at intersections.

“It’s a busy time of the year with children returning to school so we would ask that all motorists are diligent,” she said.