A woman has died and two others, including a toddler, are in a critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in Melbourne’s east.
Emergency crews were at the scene of the crash on Coleman Road in the suburb of Wantirna South on Thursday afternoon.
Superintendent Justin Goldsmith said a woman and man, believed to be aged between 30 and 40, were walking on the footpath with a young boy when the car struck them from behind.
The woman died at the scene and the man and child were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
“It’s an absolute tragedy,” Superintendent Goldsmith said.
“Unfortunately we’re facing a horrific month for road trauma. We’ve had 14 people lose their lives in seven days.”
After striking the pedestrians, police said the car travelled for another 200 metres towards a park before crashing through the fence.
No-one else was injured.
The car travelled for about 200 metres before crashing through a fence at a playground. (ABC News)
91-year-old driver taken to hospital
Superintendent Goldsmith said the driver, a 91-year-old woman, was taken to hospital for assessment.
He said she was “terribly shaken” by the incident and would be interviewed by police later on Thursday.
Detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
“It is a downhill section of road so if there has been a lack of control to some degree, there is a possibility that the car would have picked up speed as it’s driven further down Coleman Road,” superintendent Goldsmith said.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has CCTV footage is being urged to contact police.