Smythesdale police Sergeant Rod Oppenhuis was on call and providing an after-hours response in the community on Wednesday night. Travelling on Sebastopol-Smythesdale Road in a police car, he swerved to miss a kangaroo on the road and crashed into a pole about 5pm.

The impact of the crash caused a tree to fall, bringing down a powerline and impacting the bonnet and passenger side of the car.

Emergency crews - including police, firefighters, paramedics, State Emergency Service personnel - rushed to the scene and isolated the area around the live powerline until and Powercor workers arrived.

Earlier coverage: Kangaroo causes police car crash and power outage

Sergeant Oppenhuis sustained upper body injuries and was flown to hospital in a stable condition.

He regularly travels on the stretch of road and was well aware of the risk of wildlife jumping on to the road, his colleagues told The Courier.

While the crash could have ended in tragedy, he was exceptionally lucky. He was cleared of all major injuries and released from hospital on Thursday morning. He is now recovering at home.

Senior Sergeant Simon Brand said the incident highlighted how dangerous driving a car could be and that anyone could come across an unexpected hazard while driving.

Senior Sergeant Brand said the positive outcome was a testament to the safety features in modern vehicles and the importance of maintaining vigilance behind the wheel.

Wildlife venturing on to roads across the region is common.

The best way to avoid a collision with wildlife, such as a kangaroo, is to slow down around dusk and dawn, especially when driving past a yellow animal warning sign on the roadside.

Headlights can 'blind' kangaroos, confusing them and initiating their reactive fight or flight response - meaning they could bounce onto the road and into incoming traffic.

If in this situation, it is recommended to brake in a straight line and resist the urge to swerve into passing traffic or a stationary object.

From positions in metropolitan stations, Sergeant Oppenhuis had been working in the Ballarat region for many years before he was appointed as the first sergeant in the history of Smythesdale.

While historically a one-member station, Smythesdale Police Station was upgraded to being a 16-hour station with a sergeant and member of one other rank in 2019.

He works alongside another experienced officer, Leading Senior Constable Greg Ryan.

Sergeant Oppenhuis is well-known across the region.

Inspector Damien Christensen described him as an energetic and community-orientated police officer who undertakes valued work with community groups and businesses.

He is also the president of the Sebastopol Vikings Soccer Club.

Sebastopol Vikings coach Corey Smith described Sergeant Oppenhuis, otherwise known as 'Oppy', as the "heart and soul" of the club.

"I think the thing with 'Oppy' is he's a great president, but genuinely a good person," he said.

"The role he plays in the community is befitting of the person he is.

"I see him as someone that I can always rely on first and a club president second."

Smith said he feared the worst when he heard about the accident.

"I had a pretty good idea what had happened, but I don't think there were many at the club that knew what had happened until they found out he was okay," he said.

"In fact, he sent me a message last night saying he was fine. It's great news that everything is okay, he's from such a great family, it's great he's managed to get through this."

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