Cop almost a casualty

CARDINIA’S top traffic cop had his own near death experience last week while driving in Pakenham.
Sergeant Nigel Atkins knocked off work at 5.30pm on Thursday and was travelling along Racecourse Road in his own car when he noticed the car in front of him had a number of large bulls in the trailer that were moving about.
“They were kicking and moving about and they were obviously unsettled,” Sgt Atkins said.
“So I made the decision to keep an even further distance from the trailer and all of a sudden the front left side front axle wheel and rim came off the trailer.
“It catapulted, hit the kerb and then bounced in the air and then came hurtling at my windscreen at face level out of control.”
Sgt Atkins turned his wheel hard and managed to escape the tyre flying at him by less than an inch.
“It could have taken my head off my shoulders,” he said.
Sgt Atkins said the driver, a 70-year-old man from Pakenham South, will be charged on summons with drive in a manner dangerous, careless driving, use an unsafe vehicle (trailer) and carry an insecure load.
“This is why the Highway Patrol at Cardinia run Operation Bucket one day in every fortnight to take ‘buckets’ like this one off the road,” he said.