P-plater suspended for crashing into parked car in Merrivale

A Warrnambool P-plater who crashed into a parked car, shunting it 70 metres down the road, has lost his driver's licence.

Taylon Jones, of Gay Street, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court this week to careless driving and failing to report an accident.

Police said at 2.30am on November 20 last year Jones was the driver of a green utility that was heading east on Merrivale Drive before he crashed into a Ford Fiesta parked on the edge of the road.

There was significant damage to the sedan as it was shunted 70 metres down the road.

The green ute veered at 45 degrees after the impact and collided with a fence 25 metres from the initial impact.

Jones left the scene of the collision and did not contact police at the time.

The owner of the Ford found what remained of her crumpled vehicle at 7.30am and reported the massive damage to police, who attended the accident scene.

Jones returned and exchanged details for insurance purposes.

He told police he was in a rush on his way to Simpson, was tired and had made a driving error.

"It was a complete accident," he told police officers.

Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge questioned why the third-year apprentice left the accident scene before being tested for alcohol or drugs.

He said to have a licence was not a right: "It's a privilege dependent on you and others obeying road rules.

"If you don't, you lose that privilege. The concept of road safety is to protect citizens."

The magistrate said Jones had his licence for two years before "inexplicably" ploughing into the back of a parked car.

He said despite Jones claiming he waited at the accident scene for 10 minutes, the young driver should have known he had an obligation to contact police.

"It's a significant matter," he said.

Jones was fined $800 and his driver's licence was suspended for six months.

November 21 last year: The victim of a hit-run collision at Merrivale says her heart sank when she returned to Warrnambool on Sunday to find her "pride and joy" completely destroyed.

The 21-year-old university student is temporarily staying in Warrnambool for student placement.

She said she was away on the weekend and returned about 9.30am Sunday to find her vehicle was missing.

"I looked about 200 metres down the road and there it was, all smashed up," she told The Standard.

"My heart just sank. That's my pride and joy, I've only had it for about two years."

The woman said her vehicle was written off.

"I don't have an income over placement so was already tight for money and will now have to buy another car," she said.

Fortunately the woman can borrow a family member's vehicle for now.

She said the fence of a neighbouring property had also been impacted in the collision.

"One of the ladies I'm staying with got home about 1am and the car was still there," she said.

She urged anyone with information to contact Warrnambool police.

Earlier: Police are seeking information from the public after a hit-and-run collision at Merrivale overnight Saturday.

Senior Constable Peter Hunter, of the Warrnambool police highway patrol unit, said an unknown vehicle had hit a green parked vehicle along Merrivale Drive between midnight and 6am, forcing the green vehicle into a fence.

He said it was expected that the offending vehicle would have green pain transfer caused by the collision near the Merrivale Recreation Reserve.

"The green vehicle has been hit and crashed into the fence," he said.

"We expect there would have to be green paint on the offending vehicle, which is also likely to have front-end damage."

Senior Constable Hunter requested anyone with information about the collision, or who saw green paint to a vehicle with front-end damage, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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