UPDATE, 10.10am: Police are unsure when Newbridge Road will reopen as their investigation into a fatal truck crash gathers momentum.
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They are still to determine what role a fallen tree played in the crash which killed the driver of the truck overnight near Lockwood.
A tow truck has pulled the crashed vehicle largely onto the road after it came to a rest on the verge of the heavily treed rural road.
Police officers are now examining it at the scene and have kept the road closed in both directions.
It is unclear what role a tree a little way back may have played in the crash but police suspect it may have fallen across the road, triggering the crash.
The truck then appears to have continued a distance before veering off the road and into a second tree.
A member of the public came across the crash scene and raised the alarm shortly before 4am.
The crash follows a stormy few days in Bendigo, with heavy rain and thunder at times.
Police are investigating and expect to prepare a report for the coroner.
UPDATE, 9.10am: A TRUCK driver has died in central Victoria this morning as the road toll hits a 16-year high.
The official road toll was 140 early this morning, police said in a media statement issued an hour before news emerged of the fatal crash in Shelbourne, just outside Lockwood.
The driver was the only person in a vehicle that appeared to have struck a fallen tree and left the road.
Police are investigating.
Officers are worried about more deaths this King's birthday long weekend.
They are vowing to target major arterials and highways to holiday hotspots and alpine regions.
Motorists heading to the snow are being urged to monitor the conditions prior to travelling and ensure they're carrying and using appropriate wheel chains as legally required.
EARLIER: A man has died after his truck struck a tree in Shelbourne in the early hours of the morning of June 8.
The rig was travelling along Newbridge Road when it appears the driver struck a fallen tree and left the road.
The crash scene was discovered by a passing motorist who raised the alarm shortly before 4am.
MORE NEWS:
The driver, who was the sole occupant, sadly died at the scene.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and will prepare a report for the coroner.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam/CCTV is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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David Chapman
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
