MELBOURNE — The driver of an allegedly stolen car hit a woman near the Melbourne Marathon course on Sunday morning and came dangerously close to plowing into runners before a traffic-control truck blocked the vehicle, according to the New York Post, citing the Herald Sun and news.com.au.
Witnesses described the car being driven erratically near the Flinders Street and Swanston Street intersection at around 10:45 a.m. local time, as thousands of runners were on the course nearby. A traffic-control truck moved into position and blocked the driver from reaching the runners, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome. Bystanders described chaotic scenes as the vehicle weaved through the area before being stopped.
Paramedics treated the injured woman at the scene and took one patient to Royal Melbourne Hospital. Her condition was not immediately disclosed in early reports. Police have not yet released details about the driver or any arrests, and it was not immediately clear what led to the erratic driving. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities cordoned off the area around the intersection while the race continued.
The incident briefly rattled one of Australia’s biggest annual sporting events but did not stop the race. Organizers continued the marathon while police secured the area around the intersection, and runners were diverted around the scene as officers worked.
The Flinders Street and Swanston Street intersection sits in the heart of central Melbourne, close to sections of the marathon route that draw large crowds of spectators each year. Details remained limited in early reports — police had not confirmed the driver’s identity, whether anyone was in custody, or the sequence of events that led the vehicle toward the course. Zark News is monitoring the investigation and will update this story as authorities release more information.
