Truck driver killed in 'freak' Vic crash
A garbage truck driver has died in a "freak accident" with a truck carrying cranes in Melbourne's north.
The 50-year-old man died after being thrown from his rig on Thursday about 7.10am at Epping after a side loader semi-trailer hit his vehicle.
Cranes were mounted on the front and rear of the truck but a stabiliser arm was fully extended and hit the garbage truck chassis, Detective Acting Sergeant Leigh Miller said.
"Someone has died today needlessly. It is a freak accident where it has come about because the driver has failed to do something mechanically he should have been before driving," he told reporters.
The 42-year-old truck driver had been at a factory to load up his vehicle and failed to secure the stabiliser arm before driving on Miller Road, police said.
He narrowly missed a small car before hitting the garbage truck.
"He wouldn't have had any time to avoid what happened," the officer said.
It came shortly after a 24-year-old cyclist died in a hit-run crash in Horsham about 6.30am.
Police are searching for the driver involved in that crash.
The deaths take Victoria's road toll to 259, compared to 205 for the same time last year.
