Accused hit-run driver found after allegedly mowing down mum, seven kids
A suspected hit-run driver is in custody on Monday night, accused of mowing down a mother and seven children outside a Melbourne school.
Badly injured mum Michelle Nash says she thought she was going to die when she and the children were struck outside the Pakenham school.
"I saw him coming straight for us," she told 7 News.
"Straight for us, and I had no time to push the kids away or anything."
The mum remains in the Alfred Hospital.
Michelle was with her two daughters, waiting to cross the Princes Highway after school, when a stolen ute ploughed into them.
She was thrown almost five metres and landed face-down with broken bones in her shoulder and back, and a broken rib.
"The first thing I tried to do was get up to look for the kids," she told 7 News.
"But I couldn't physically move."
Her daughter Taylor suffered deep grazing, with school mate Ruby and her brother Aaidan also victims.
"I remember waking up in my Dad's arms," victim Ruby Millard said.
"I think I went into shock."
Ruby and Aaidan's mother Dannii Millard rushed to the scene in a panic.
"Just bodies everywhere and I thought, oh no, I've lost both my babies," she said.
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Ruby had been holding her best friend's hands as they waited to cross the road.
"Through the whole incident, when they were in the air they were still holding hands, they came down, they were still holding hands," Dannii Millard said.
And they were still holding hands the next day in hospital.
Straight after the crash, the driver allegedly asked one schoolgirl who was lying on the road if she was "okay" and if she was sore anywhere.
When she responded "yeah, my arm's in pain", he allegedly ran off.
Michelle Nash said the children's screams will haunt her forever.
"Not knowing who it was and who was hurt .... I'll never get it out of my mind, ever," she said.
On Monday afternoon detectives found their suspect, a 21-year-old man, at a home in Pakenham.
"We were actually pursuing him since Friday afternoon and it was just a matter of time and resources," Detective Senior Sergeant Melissa Nixon said.
"We put everything into it and located him."
The man is facing 41 charges including eight charges of reckless conduct endangering life.
On Monday night he was taken to Dandenong Police Station to appear in an out of court sessions hearing before a bail justice.
He is likely to be remanded in custody.
