An 18-year-old driver has been charged with causing the death of a man who was killed when two vehicles fleeing police smashed into each other.

Horrified eyewitnesses say they saw the driver of one of the cars killed instantly in the collision, which police say followed the earlier assault and robbery of a 50-year-old man in in Bicton about 6.30pm on Tuesday.



Police say the man was a 28-year-old Willagee resident who'd been involved in the attack along with an 18-year-old man from Munster, who had fled the scene in another car before crashing into his partner in crime.

The scene in Bicton on Tuesday evening. Credit:Fran Rimrod.

One of the offenders is understood to have left in a Holden Astra and the others in a Holden Commodore.

Police responding to the call tried to stop the Holden Commodore on Point Walter Road, but gave chase when their attempts failed.