A 41-year-old woman been arrested after handing herself in to police following a hit-and-run in Melbourne.
Alice Lewis, 13, is fighting for her life after being hit by a BMW in Melbourne on Sunday.
A woman from Sunshine North has come forward to Victoria Police and handed herself in after the incident.
She is assisting police with their inquiries.
Pictured: Alice Lewis, 13, who is in an induced coma after being struck by a car on Sunday night
Alice was hit while crossing the road at Bell and Sussex streets in Coburg about 8pm and remains in an induced coma at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Friends are mourning publicly online, with many urging her to ‘stay strong’ and willing her speedy recovery.
‘Stay strong Alice, I know you can fight through this,’ one girl wrote. ‘I love [you] to bits I just hope you will be okay’.
Every Victorian port is being monitored amid fears the female driver of Asian appearance, who struck Alice in Melbourne, may flee the country.
Investigators on Tuesday seized a dark grey BMW, which is believed to be linked to the tragic crash, in Braybrook in the city’s west.
Alice, who was not wearing a helmet, is believed to have been riding her bike with two friends at the time.
Every Victorian port is being monitored amid fears a female hit-and-run driver of Asian appearance, who struck a teenage cyclist in Melbourne, may flee the country (pictured is seized BMW)
The dark grey BMW (seen in CCTV footage) was discovered at the back of a residential and commercial laneway in Melbourne’s west
Alice Lewis, 13, is still fighting for her life in Melbourne as police desperately search for the driver – who police say is an Asian woman in her 30s (Alice’s bike pictured at the scene)
Authorities are closely monitoring airports, seaports and train stations to prevent a repeat of the Puneet Puneet culpable driving case, where a young Indian man fled Australia while on bail after killing a man in 2009.
‘We’re working with the federal police to make sure that we know who’s leaving and who’s not leaving,’ Detective Inspector Stuart McGregor told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
‘Every port of leaving Victoria is being watched.’
The alleged driver has been given a ‘last chance’ to ‘show some remorse’ to stop evading police and hand herself in.
‘We know we’re really close to making an arrest in this matter,’ Det Insp McGregor told Channel Seven.
‘This is probably the last chance this driver has to do the right thing.’
Forensic examiners are investigating whether the dark grey 1 Series BMW, discovered at the back of a residential and commercial laneway in Melbourne’s west, is the one witnesses said fled the crime scene.
It has been reported the teenager was not wearing a helmet and sustained head injuries
The female driver, who has shoulder length dark hair and was accompanied by an Asian man, stopped briefly and looked at the scene before fleeing, witnesses have told police
Police believe the on-the-run driver is a woman aged in her early 30s, of Asian appearance with shoulder-length dark hair.
She may be in the company of a man also described as Asian and in his 30s, police say.
A public tip-off helped police locate the car and investigators believe the woman lives near where it was found.
‘There is no one that should suffer this, there is no mother or father or grandparent who would ever want this to happen to their child, let alone be left on the side of the road just to die by a person who leaves the scene who doesn’t even bother to stop and help,’ Detective Inspector Stuart McGregor told Nine News.
A Melbourne woman has spoken on Facebook about seeing the horrific accident after the driver left.
‘We came across this accident and my husband was first on the scene to provide first aid to her. Can’t believe the driver just drove off,’ she began.
‘To the off duty paramedic and off duty nurse who then helped with my husband… a big thank you. My prayers are with the teenage girl and thoughts with her two friends who I tried to comfort. Hope they find the driver ASAP.’
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.