Incident in Geelong: Stolen Car Collides with Bus, Officers Discharge Firearm

Two individuals have been arrested following a significant incident in Geelong on a Thursday afternoon. A vehicle, reported as stolen, collided with a school bus and was then allegedly driven towards police officers, prompting officers to discharge a firearm. The event resulted in injuries to the male suspect, the female suspect, and another motorist. A woman has since been charged in connection with the events.

Incident Unfolds: Stolen Car, Bus Collision, Shots Fired

The incident commenced around 3:40 PM near the intersection of Princes Highway and Roebuck Street in Newtown, Geelong. A Kia Optima, which police allege was stolen from New South Wales, was initially identified by a police helicopter.

Witness accounts and mobile phone footage indicate a dramatic sequence of events:

• The car reversed into a school bus.
• The vehicle then reportedly drove towards police officers, who subsequently discharged their firearms, with two shots audible in witness footage.
• Following the shots, the vehicle collided with street signs and another vehicle before coming to a stop.

The vehicle then reportedly drove towards police officers, who subsequently discharged their firearms, with two shots audible in witness footage.

Police Response and Apprehensions

Immediately following the collisions, a 37-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman allegedly attempted to flee the scene on foot. They were apprehended by police nearby.

Injuries were sustained by several individuals:

• The 37-year-old man received a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the arm and was transported to the hospital under police supervision.
• The 43-year-old woman sustained minor injuries and was also taken to the hospital.
• A female driver from another vehicle involved in the collision also sustained minor injuries and required hospital care.

Charges Laid, Investigation Underway

The 43-year-old woman has been charged with handling stolen goods. Her alleged co-offender, the 37-year-old man, remains under police guard at the hospital.

The Professional Standards Command will oversee an investigation into the incident, which will include a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the discharge of a police firearm.

Community Impact: Students and Traffic

The school bus involved was transporting students from Sacred Heart College and St Joseph's College. Fortunately, no occupants on the school bus were reported to have sustained injuries. Both schools are actively monitoring the welfare of their students, some of whom were reportedly on their first day of high school.

In the aftermath of the incident, Latrobe Terrace was closed in both directions between Ryrie Street and McKillop Street around 6 PM. Significant traffic delays were reported across the area, including southbound from the Church Street overpass and northbound from Fyans Street.