A maroon Holden drove over the tree along Dowling Street, directly across from CE Brown Reserve, after what witnesses called an instance of ‘road rage’. 

Police, Ambulance and CFA members attended the scene at around 6.30pm, with traffic briefly reduced to one lane. 

The driver of the red car allegedly fled from the scene on foot after hitting the tree, before being apprehended by uniform police in a neighbouring street. 

Rob Scott, who was driving a black four-wheel drive also involved in the crash, said his car was rammed from behind on Forest Street, while he attempted to park outside of Ballarat Grammar School. 

He said the maroon car involved “did a runner” from the initial crash scene, before he found it parked along Dowling Street. 

“They saw me [on Dowling Street] and then they tried to get away, but they couldn’t because I blocked them. Then they tried to ram me, and then drove up the tree.” 

Ambulance Victoria confirmed one patient had been taken to Ballarat Base Hospital for observation for shock. 

A witness to the event, who did not want to be named, said she saw the maroon car drive into the tree from her front lounge room.

“You can see from the skid marks, I thought they were going to come right through my house,” the female witness said. 

“They were going back and forwards, like it was road rage.

“They got out and ran down there, up the street somewhere.”

The woman said she was particularly disappointed the tree had been razed in the motoring melee, because it was “the best tree in the block”, and she implored City of Ballarat to replace it in short order.