A MAN was tragically killed in a road collision, while another driver travelling at 158km/h allegedly had a blood alcohol reading five times the legal limit, in two separate incidents alarming local police.
Every Melbourne Cup Weekend Victoria Police enact Operation Furlong in an attempt to reduce road trauma on the state's roads, but this year has been disappointing for local police.
In the Wangaratta Police Service Area, a 20-year-old Cobram man was killed in a collision on Tuesday at about 6pm after the vehicle he was driving collided with a truck on the Goulburn Valley Highway at Koonoomoo.
Police are appealing for any witnesses who saw the collision or have dashcam to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
Sergeant Shaun Hillier of Wangaratta Highway Patrol said a driver was detected travelling at 158km/h on the Hume Freeway at Wangaratta on Tuesday.
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He said the man returned an evidentiary breath test result of 0.246 and his vehicle was impounded for 30 days - he will receive a summons to appear at court.
"We saw some really concerning and disappointing behaviour by people who chose to put other road users at risk," he said.
"As we start to see an increase in visitors to our beautiful region, I would like to remind all road users that they can expect to see a highly visible police presence on our roads and dangerous behaviours will not be tolerated."
Sgt Hillier strongly encouraged motorists to approach the festive season by making good decisions on the roads.
"If you consume alcohol or drugs – don’t drive," he said.
"If you plan on driving long distances – plan your route with regular stops and allow sufficient time to get to your destination."
Due to protected industrial action impacting reporting processes, Victoria Police was not able to provide results for Operation Furlong across the state.
Total lives lost on Victorian roads stands at 240 compared to 251 this time last year.
