A 14-year-old girl has died in hospital after she was hit by a truck at an intersection in Melbourne's east that locals describe as a notorious black spot.
The girl was wearing a backpack as she crossed Whitehorse Road in Ringwood about 7am on Wednesday when she was struck by the vehicle.
The driver of the truck, who was travelling south on Dampier Grove and turning left onto Maroondah Highway, did not stop after the crash.
But a 39-year-old NSW man contacted police shortly after the incident and is being questioned by detectives.
The scene of the hit-run in Ringwood.
Photo: Channel SevenIt is understood police found the Makita-branded truck outside the Holmesglen TAFE campus in Malvern East and forensics officers examined it.
Makita has been contacted for comment.
The teenage girl was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital in a critical condition with suspected head, face and chest injuries. She later died in hospital.
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives remained at the scene throughout the morning.
CCTV footage from one of the small businesses on the corner of the intersection is reportedly being examined by police.
Hairdresser Chrizzel Pontanes from R&B Haircraft, which faces the intersection where the crash happened, said it was a well-known black spot for car accidents.
"It's notorious for crashes: T-bones, cars crashing, roll-overs, car on bike," she said.
"No one knows who to give way to and pedestrians cross over Maroondah Highway while turning lanes at Heatherdale Road and Dampier Grove both go at the same time so no one knows who to give way to."
The scene of the hit-run at the Ringwood intersection.
Photo: Channel SevenShe said the crash that killed the young girl was one of the worst she had ever seen.
"I've seen car roll-overs and people seriously injured but this is one of the worst," she said.
The intersection remained closed for most of the morning and city bound traffic on the highway was being diverted at New Street.
Ms Pontanes said at least 20 to 30 officers were still at the scene hours after the crash.
Chrizzel Pontanes at the Intersection of Dampier Grove and Maroondah Highway.
Photo: Joe ArmaoFather of two Alhad Harne has a 12-year-old daughter who attends a nearby secondary school and crosses the intersection several times a day. He said the death of the teenager had shaken him.
"I came (outside) 40 minutes after, I saw the ambulance was there, all the roads were closed by the police and after some time I saw the blood on the road," he said.
"It's a very notorious intersection, particularly for pedestrians. The worst thing I always observe is that cars, when pedestrians come, they don't stop. In many incidents I have to have my hands up to make the car stop, then they stop. They see the pedestrian crossing and still they want to go fast."
Police and ambulance at the scene of Ringwood crash
Photo: Channel Ten NewsHe said change was needed. ''They should change it as soon as possible to avoid all this confusion and people should wait for pedestrians, give them the way first."
Sue Langley, who works at a nearby financial planning business, also said locals often described the intersection as a notorious black spot.
"We have several accidents a year, when they are doing a right-hand turn off Heatherdale, people treat the intersection as a t-intersection and whiz round," she said.
Heatherdale Railway Station in Mitcham, on the Lilydale and Belgrave lines, is used by hundreds of locals each day as they get to work and school.
Ms Langley said recent changes to the station had meant pedestrians coming from the north were crossing Maroondah Highway at a different, more dangerous spot.
"What's changed recently and what has made the intersection worse for pedestrians is they have changed Heatherdale train station, which used to be on the west side of Heatherdale road, and is now on east side," she said.
"Now people are crossing on the opposite side of the road that they used to. There is a lot less visibility and a lot of traffic goes over that area. It's a lot more dangerous than it was. The changed station changed the dynamics of the crossing."
Ms Langley said the intersection needed turning arrow lights to make it safer.
"He certainly should have stopped, it's disgraceful. It's sad to think they didn't stop when they must have known they hit somebody," she said.
"No matter what they should have stopped."
VicRoads was earlier warning motorists of extensive delays throughout the area.
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