'A real tragedy': Four police officers killed in horrific crash named
The four police officers killed in a horrific crash on a Melbourne freeway have been identified.
The officers died after the driver of a Porsche 911 was pulled over for speeding on the Eastern Freeway at Kew, in Melbourne’s east, just after 4.50pm on Wednesday.
About 50 minutes later, the fatal crash occurred at the same location.
The Porsche driver had tested positive for “some type of drug” after the officers conducted a fluid test, before fleeing the scene when a truck ploughed into the police officers and several vehicles, including the Porsche.
The driver of the truck suffered a medical episode at the scene following the accident where he “blacked out”.
The driver of the Porsche, a 41-year-old man known to police, was arrested on Thursday morning and the truck driver was to face police questioning.
On Thursday police named the officers who lost their lives in the tragedy; Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, stationed at Road Policing Drug and Alcohol Section; Constable Glen Humphris, a PCET at Collingwood and doing a placement at Road Policing Drug and Alcohol Section; Senior Constable Kevin King, stationed at Nunawading Highway Patrol; and Constable Josh Prestney, a PCET at Boroondara and doing his placement with Nunawading Highway Patrol.
Josh Prestney in his second day on the job
Constable Prestney’s grandmother said the rookie officer was only in his second day on the job.
Eliza Anderson told the Herald Sun her 28-year-old grandson was “so proud to serve” and had only graduated from the police academy in December.
An obituary released by Victoria Police says he was a much loved and respected member of his squad.
His brother is also a police officer and presented Constable Prestney with a badge when he graduated.
In his spare time, Constable Prestney enjoyed keeping fit and competed in triathlons.
He is survived by his parents Andrew and Belinda, and his brother, First Constable Alex Prestney.
Glen Humphris ‘genuinely wanted to help people’
Constable Humphris had worked as an apprentice carpenter before deciding to become a personal trainer.
He then joined the police force in 2019 after moving to Melbourne from NSW with his partner of four years, Todd.
“Glen performed extremely well during his time at the Police Academy. His results in both examinations and assessments were well above average and he narrowly missed out on the Highest Academic Achiever Award for his squad,” an obituary said.
“His squad mates said he genuinely wanted to help people, had a great sense of community and genuine empathy for everyone – victim and offender alike.
“Glen is remembered as being very level-headed, caring and supportive with a great sense of humour and had the ability to make light of any situation to calm people.”
Lynette Taylor remembered for sense of adventure
Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor had a distinguished 31-year career with Victoria Police after joining in January 1989.
The 60-year-old received the National Medal first clasp at 25 years of service and the National Police Service medal and the Victoria Police Service medal fourth clasp at 30 years.
She is survived by her husband, former Victoria Police officer Stuart Schultz, and their two sons, Nathan and Alexander.
“Having travelled the world, Lynette is remembered for having a great sense of adventure and has instilled this spirit in her children,” an obituary said.
She has also been recognised as having a caring nature, as she became the primary carer for her sister after she recently had a stroke.
“Lynette had a reputation of going into bat for others and challenging decisions that she believed were unfair,” the obituary said.
Kevin King ‘an older head with a lot of life experience’
Leading Senior Constable Kevin King had been a serving member of Victoria Police for six years and had a passion for road policing.
According to an obituary, he knew it was not just about giving out tickets to those doing the wrong thing.
After he transferred to Nunawading Highway Patrol in 2018, the officer in charge said he was “an older head with a lot of life experience who always made a good judgement calls and decisions”.
“He was a terrific bloke. A lovely, all round good bloke who took to road policing immediately,” the officer in charge said, according to the obituary.
“He would do anything in his power to not let you down. He always just wanted to laugh, have a good time, and talk about footy. It’s just devastating to lose a bloke like that.”
Senior Constable King was a 50-year-old father of three who was respected by his colleagues.
He is survived by his wife Sharron Mackenzie, and their three children, William, James and Henry.
The deaths serve as ‘brutal reminder’
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Steven Pope, a Senior Constable at Narre Warren Police Station, in the hopes of raising $500,000 for the families of each police officer.
“The members were killed on the Eastern Freeway after a routine intercept when a truck collided with the members,” the GoFundMe says.
“This is a brutal reminder of the danger police face in the course of their service, every minute of every shift.”
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said the incident was a “real tragedy” and the biggest loss of life for Victoria Police from one incident.
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