The speeding driver of a Porsche who fled the scene of a horror crash on a Melbourne freeway where four police officers were killed took graphic photos of the scene and shared the images on social media.
All four police officers were outside of their vehicles talking with the driver of the Porsche when they were hit from behind by a semi-trailer refrigeration truck at 5.40pm.
That vehicle had been stopped by police for speeding.
Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton described the man’s actions as “disgusting” and confirmed he is known to police.
“He has an extensive criminal history, involving a range of different offending backgrounds,” Mr Ashton said this morning.
The driver is expected to attend a police station this morning after detectives made contact with him overnight.
He was stopped by police on the Eastern Freeway at Kew at 4.50pm on Wednesday for speeding after officers clocked the vehicle doing more than 140km/h.
The driver tested positive to “some type of drug” and the attending officers called for backup.
“[That] returned positive results for some type of drug in the system and that has prompted, obviously with the speed and the vehicle, with the driver testing positive, to impound the vehicle,” Mr Ashton said.
Two additional police officers from Highway Patrol attended the scene as backup.
One female officer and three male officers were killed on impact when the truck struck, while the driver the Porsche was unharmed and fled shortly after on foot.
Mr Ashton also confirmed the truck driver suffered a medical episode immediately after the crash.
“The truck itself appears to have moved from one of the traffic lanes in the freeway into the emergency lane and has travelled a short distance in the emergency lane at around about 100km/h and has then slammed into the rear of the Highway Patrol vehicle,” Mr Ashton said.
The driver of the truck remains under police guard at hospital where investigators will aim to speak to him today.
Police raided the truck driver’s Cranbourne home in Melbourne’s outer-east last night.
The tragedy was a timely reminder of the dangerous reality of being a police officer, Mr Ashton added.
“It was a tragic day for obviously the families of these officers and we feel very deeply for them,” Mr Ashton said.
“The whole force is reeling this morning from what’s occurred last night. It’s an unprecedented event for us to lose so many officers in one event, in one very terrible collision on the freeway.
“And officers just doing their work, doing their job, doing a duty that is performed by officers many times a day across our state.
“And it is just a timely reminder of how tragic police work can be at times, and indeed, very unexpectedly at times.
“The whole police family is feeling this this morning, and will for many, many days to come.”
More information is expected to be released about the identify of the police officers who died once all family members were informed.
It is the single deadliest incident in Victoria Police history.
An investigation by the homicide squad and major collision unit is now underway.
Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt paid tribute to the officers, saying the tragedy was “incredibly sad” for everyone involved.
“I think the police force is waking up feeling numb, the members, the men and women of Victoria Police challenged deeply by this,” Mr Gatt told Today this morning.
“We are hurting for the families that we know are obviously shocked and in immense pain overall.
“When something like this happens in policing it does send shockwaves around the force. It is one big family and that family transcends borders across the county, across the country and around the world.
“We have had members overnight obviously involved in assisting family and delivering those horrible messages.
“And we are proud of them but we are deeply feeling for the families that have been left behind here because these men and women, these fine men and women of Victoria, have lost their live, keeping the community safe. And it is incredibly sad for us.”
Premier Daniel Andrews led tributes to the female senior constable, male senior constable, and two male constables, who he labelled “heroes”.
“Tonight, somewhere in our city, four families’ hearts are breaking. Our hearts are breaking with them,” Mr Andrews said.
‘Shocked and immensely sad’
Mr Andrews said an investigation would determine “why — how — this could possibly have happened”.
“But one thing is already clear: Though we may not yet know their names — we will always call them heroes.”
Victoria Police Minister Lisa Neville said there were plans to fly flags half-mast at parliament.
“There are really no words that you can adequately use tonight to express what has happened. It is an unimaginable tragedy,” she said.
“They are heroes. They’re Victorian heroes tonight.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: “My deepest sympathies go out to their families, fellow officers and friends at this terrible time.”
Every police station across Victoria would be mourning and have some link to at least one of the four officers, said Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt.
“It’s just floored us. To lose any member but to lose four on one occasion is incredible and this will be felt in every police station, in every watch house across the state tonight,” he said.
Teams will be deployed to police stations to support officers who attended the scene and those personally impacted by the deaths.
Earlier, Mr Gatt said the force was “shocked and immensely saddened”.
“This is a brutally sad reminder of the danger police face in the course of their service, every minute of every shift,” he said in a statement.
“We mourn their loss, we grieve with their families and colleagues and we will never forget them.”
Source: Ninenews
