General News
22 February, 2023
“That’s when I grabbed the keys”
A WOMAN whose car was damaged in an alleged hit and run incident in Terang has praised quick thinking pub-goers who tried to intervene.
A WOMAN whose car was damaged in an alleged hit and run incident in Terang has praised quick thinking pub-goers who tried to intervene.
Pam Coolahan’s car was damaged in the alleged incident after she parked outside the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Terang last Friday evening to have dinner with visiting friends.
The alleged incident occurred shortly before Mrs Coolahan returned to her vehicle at around midnight.
Wheatsheaf Hotel patron Diane Bausch was among those in the hotel who rushed out to offer assistance.
“Two young kids came in (to the pub) and were asking if they could charge their phones,” she said.
“The bar staff were clearly suspicious of how young they were, and started asking questions so the kids ran out of the bar.
“We heard a bit of commotion so a friend and I went out to see what was happening.”
Ms Bausch said the driver of a grey Toyota Camry had allegedly struck Mrs Coolahan’s parked vehicle and had driven up on to the footpath, parallel to the hotel.
“When I got out to the street they had moved the car to the middle of the road,” she said.
“We could see the front of the car they were driving was damaged, and so was the rear. I asked her (the driver) how old she was, and she said she was 19, but she clearly was younger.
“I was just worried about them driving after other witnesses said they had hit the car.
“I was telling them it was okay, to get out of the car, because I was worried about them.”
Footage capturing the moments after the alleged incident, obtained by Western District Newspapers, shows Ms Bausch and other witnesses telling the alleged driver she could not drive the vehicle in the condition it was in.
“It’s all okay, we can help you out,” one witness can be heard saying.
“You’re only kids, come on.”
Ms Bausch said after noticing how young the vehicle’s occupants looked, and seeing their attempts to resist remaining at the scene after the alleged collision, she reached through the driver’s side window and took the keys out of the ignition.
The alleged driver then exited the vehicle and a struggle for the keys ensued, which Ms Bausch said left her with bruising to her elbow and wrist.
“I even offered them a bed for the night, but she (the alleged driver) just kept saying she had to go,” Ms Bausch said.
The alleged driver was able to regain possession of the keys and rushed back in to the car, calling for the passengers to get in.
“We’re worried about you,” Ms Bausch can be heard saying. Another witness can be heard imploring the occupants to put their seatbelts on.
The group then fled the scene in the vehicle, turning in to oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the highway, heading towards Warrnambool.
Ms Bausch said witnesses waited for “around an hour, maybe longer” before police arrived on the scene.
“There were three young kids in the car that could have killed themselves or someone else, and the police should have been on to it,” she said.
Ms Bausch had footage of the incident but said police had not contacted her to request it, and Wheatsheaf Hotel owner Jill Cole said police had also not asked her for CCTV footage.
The alleged incident has left Ms Coolahan $1250 out of pocket covering the excess to repair the damage sustained to the front left side of her vehicle.
Western District Newspapers made repeated attempts to contact police over two days for additional information surrounding the alleged incident, but police could not be reached.
Mrs Coolahan said while she was disappointed to hear of the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident, she was “deeply grateful” to the Wheatsheaf Hotel staff and patrons who attempted to deescalate the situation and provide assistance.
“I was blown away,” she said.
“This is the Australian spirit you see in a small country town.
“Doing what is right by everyone, even people they don’t know, like these kids. They had their interests at heart.
“I’m just glad they weren’t hurt, it could have ended a lot worse.”
