A woman has been arrested after a Melbourne cyclist was injured when he was apparently deliberately targeted by a driver in a hit and run.
Robert Clarke, 59, was cycling along a street in Noble Park, in Melbourne’s east, about 6.40am on April 13 when he was passed by a white car.
CCTV footage released by Victoria Police shows the car halting before appearing to accelerate toward Mr Clarke, slightly mounting the kerb, and hitting him.
Police said Mr Clarke fell from his bicycle and landed on the road.
The car drove on, dragging his bike for more than 100 metres. On the footage, the car eventually disappears into the distance.
Mr Clarke – who was on his way to work when the incident occurred – said he had been the victim of a previous hit and run while cycling, but didn’t think he would be hit this time.
“They’re just going to rev, scare me and keep going and the next thing, yeah, the world was spinning,” he told the ABC on Monday.
“He actually hit me this time. He hasn’t hurled abuse. He hasn’t revved off and tried to scare me. He hasn’t thrown anything at me. He hit me.”
Mr Clarke earlier urged the driver of the white car to hand themselves in to police.
“Hand yourself in, give up driving, don’t reproduce,” he said.
He was taken to hospital for treatment, but suffered only grazes and bruises.
Mr Clarke’s wife Donna said “someone was looking out for him”.
“[It’s] horrific just to think a human could do that to another human, I’m actually just blown away,” she said.
Later on Monday, Victoria Police said a 40-year-old woman from nearby Dandenong had come forward, following requests for the driver to turn themselves in.
She has been arrested and was assisting police with their inquiries on Monday afternoon.
Anyone with any information or dash cam footage of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
