Runaway truck ends up in playground

A 50-year-old truck driver who was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital with injuries to his legs after being hit by a loaded semi-trailer in Kojonup remained in a stable condition last week.

Police said the driver pulled into a petrol station on Albany Highway to fill up the 50-tonne vehicle last Friday morning when the truck began to roll.

A young woman was also at the station checking her car oil when she saw the vehicle rolling towards her, but escaped the truck’s path and was not injured.

The truck then rolled across to the other side of the highway, hitting a power pole and running into a playground.

Kojonup police arrived at the scene at 10.30am and Katanning police helped block off sections of the highway to divert motorists.

An RAC helicopter landed about midday to transport the injured driver to Perth.

Tourists Kellie Smith and Bjarne Munk witnessed the incident after making a stopover in Kojonup on their way back to Perth.

Ms Smith said the couple’s son Lochie Munk was playing in the park just before the truck hit.

“It just started coming across the road… all of a sudden it was coming towards the park and parents started getting kids out as they realised that the truck wasn’t stopping,” she said.

“We were all dumbfounded about what was going on.”

Police are investigating the incident.