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Cranbourne West family driven to despair
Dimity Barber
02Jul08
Belinda and Michael Jansen and their family are appealing for witnesses to an accident that has left them stranded. Picture: Joanna Fincham. n01cs322.
A CRANBOURNE West family of 10 is housebound after a hit-and-run driver left them bruised, shaken and without a car.
Belinda Jansen was driving along Hallam Rd with her husband and six of their eight children in a blue Tarago on Saturday, June 22 at 11.45am when a matt black 4WD swerved out from Ormond Rd in front of them.
With no time to stop, Ms Jansen smashed into the car.
The male driver sped away, eluding a witness who had given chase.
The family was left bruised and shaken, Ms Jansen with a fractured sternum, and their only means of transport was a write-off.
"I'm so angry and the kids have been extremely upset by this," Ms Jansen said.
"I'm pregnant. I'm lucky I didn't lose the baby. We all lucky to still be alive. It could have been so much worse."
The 32-year-old said the accident had had a huge financial impact on the family.
"I can't work for six weeks, and by the time I am fit to work again I won't be able to because I'll be too pregnant," she said. "So we've lost an income. And now we're housebound, which is just great for the holidays."
Ms Jansen said she was appealing for witnesses to help track down the other driver.
"All we need is his name and address and then my insurance company can go ahead with the claim.
"I just hope somebody saw something that can help."
Anyone with information can phone Sgt Ian Land at Cranbourne police on 5991 0600.
