Four police officers killed in horror truck crash after stopping speeding driver

Four on-duty police officers have died after a truck ploughed into them as they dealt with a speeding driver on Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway. Victoria Police confirmed the deaths last night, following the multi-vehicle collision which took place just after 5.30pm.

It has since been confirmed that the officers had pulled over a speeding Porsche 911, and were in the process of impounding that vehicle, when the refrigerated truck hit them as they stood in the emergency stopping lane.

The driver of the Porsche fled the scene on foot following the collision, however Victoria Police’s Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed this morning that they have made contact with the man who has agreed to hand himself in later today.

Addressing the media this morning, Ashton also confirmed that the 41-year-old male had been travelling at speeds of up to 140km/h when he was pulled over. He also returned a positive drug test and is described as having an “extensive criminal history”.

Two officers from Victoria Police’s road policing section intercepted the speeding vehicle at around 4.50pm yesterday. After interviewing the driver and conducting an oral fluid test, they called for back-up, and two highway patrol officers attended the scene.

“They had got out of their vehicle and it was only a short time later, that a refrigerated semi has come along that freeway,” Ashton said earlier today. “It’s still quite early in the investigation to describe the movements of that vehicle … But 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 100km/h.

“[It] has then slammed into the rear of the highway patrol vehicle and that has caused a collision which has proceeded to include the vehicle from the RP dash unit and then indeed the 911 Porsche itself.”

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton details how the horror crash that killed four police officers last night unfolded, and where the investigation is up to now. pic.twitter.com/yL5bOAJs9c

— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) April 22, 2020

The officers killed were one male and one female senior constable and two male constables, one of whom had only recently joined Victoria Police.

The driver of the truck was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the incident, and is said to have blacked out at the scene immediately following the crash.

“He’s been conveyed for his health to the hopsital,” Ashton added. “At the moment, he is still in medical care and we’re hoping to get to interview him sometime today. We did a warrant through the night at his premises and what was found at that premises is still the subject of ongoing investigation.”

Following the tragic incident, Police Association Victoria released a statement which read: “The Police Association Victoria is shocked and immensely saddened by the deaths of four of our dedicated members, who were killed while protecting the community on the Eastern Freeway this afternoon. We are providing immediate and ongoing support to the colleagues and families of those members.

“This is a brutally sad reminder of the danger police face in the course of their service, every minute of every shift. We mourn their loss, we grieve with their families and colleagues and we will never forget them.”