'He came home to someone': Partner of police officer killed in freeway crash shares his grief
Todd Robinson’s life with his “soulmate”, Constable Glen Humphris, was looking bright.
They moved to Victoria three years ago and had begun cementing themselves in a new circle of friends.
But when five senior police officers arrived at Mr Robinson’s door on Wednesday evening with the news Const Humphris was one of four officers killed in a truck crash, that all came to a grinding halt.
He was killed on the Eastern Freeway at Kew, in Melbourne’s inner east, alongside his colleagues – Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Josh Prestney.
A truck had slammed into the back of a man’s Porsche, which had been pulled over into the emergency lane after it was clocked allegedly doing 140km/h about 4.50pm, killing the four officers at the scene.
In an emotional address on Friday, Mr Robinson explained how he had been at home cooking the couple dinner when he began to become concerned about Const Humphris’s whereabouts.
He said he texted the constable a few times when he was late home after his scheduled 7pm shift-end, but thought he may have been busy assisting in an emergency so tried not to worry too much.
Mr Robinson’s worst fear came closer to reality when he switched on the television and learned of the quadruple fatality involving four Victorian police officers. But he still thought Const Humphris may have been on the scene helping.
“That was Glen, he was a professional, he wouldn’t use his phone if he was on the job doing something,” Mr Robinson told reporters on Friday.
Soon after, the senior police officer were at his doorstep to deliver the heartbreaking news.
“[I was] shocked. I wasn’t expecting it. But I knew something wasn’t right,” Mr Robinson said.
“From knowing him and living with him, and the communication that we had on a daily basis, this night something was wrong.
“My soulmate has gone.”
The pair moved from NSW three years ago and Const Humphris had decided, with Mr Robinson's encouragement, to have a career change from carpentry to the police force.
“He loved helping people; being there if someone was in trouble and being supportive to the community,” Mr Robinson said.
“He lit up the room when he walked into it.”
Const Humphris loved his job, Mr Robinson said.
“In his breaks he would message me and let me know he was okay,” he said, fighting back tears.
Mr Robinson said his partner wore a uniform, but was a person underneath.
"He came home to someone, and on that day he didn't. He's gone and I'm still coming to terms that that door is not going to open,” Mr Robinson said.
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