Sheer panic: Why would a man set his car alight, then go to work, after fatal hit-run?
After a fatal hit-and-run, a man has been accused of driving away in “sheer panic” before burning the car and then going to work.
Police have arrested a second man over the knifing murder of a man in a Gold Coast car park. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)
A 72-year-old man died after being struck at an intersection while going for a morning walk at Chermside, in Brisbane’s north, after 5am on Thursday.
Police have charged a 35-year-old man, accusing him of running a red light then hitting the 72-year-old pedestrian in a borrowed car.
The pedestrian suffered “significant injuries” and died on the way to hospital.
The driver is accused of leaving the scene before abandoning the car at nearby Wavell Heights and setting it alight.
“I think it was a case of sheer panic … didn’t really know what to do, drove around for a short time, decided to burn the vehicle out and then believe it or not went to work,” Detective Acting Inspector Ken Rogers told reporters.
The man was later found at his workplace by police after help from the public.
“As a result of that combined effort with the community and work of detectives on the case we were able to establish very quickly the identity of the driver,” Det Insp Rogers said.
The driver was quite remorseful and “physically and emotionally upset” when found by police.
“He’s still pretty well shaken up,” Det Rogers said.
The man was taken into police custody and charged with dangerous driving causing death, leaving the scene of incident without obtaining help, and arson.
He is due to appear at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday.
