Four police officers die in Melbourne freeway horror, man who fled arrested
A drug-affected driver has been arrested more than 12 hours after running from the scene of a truck crash which killed four police officers in Melbourne.
Scene of the quadruple fatality involving four police offers on Melbourne's Chandler Highway in April last year. (AAP Image/Scott Barbour)
The 41-year-old man, who is known to police, is being interviewed by homicide detectives on Thursday morning, after fleeing the Kew crash last night.
“Police have located the driver of a Porsche believed to be involved in the fatal collision involving the death of four police members in Kew yesterday,” a police statement reads.
The investigation into the exact cause of the collision remains ongoing.
The man was behind the wheel of a Porsche that was pulled over by officers on the Eastern Freeway on Wednesday evening and he had tested positive to drugs.
More officers were called to help impound the car and while all four police were standing by the side of the road, a truck ploughed into them.
The Porsche driver ran from the scene and it’s alleged he took photos of the crash and shared them on social media before going into hiding overnight.
Flags are flying at half-mast across Victoria on Thursday in honour of the female senior constable, male senior constable and two male constables, one of whom recently joined the force.
Two of the officers had pulled over a black Porsche 911, after it was clocked at 140km/h on the freeway about 5.40pm on Wednesday.
The truck driver had a medical episode after the crash, blacked out and is in hospital under police guard.
Police raided the truck driver’s Cranbourne home on Wednesday night and are yet to reveal what they found.
Trevor, a cousin of one of the deceased officers and who drives a truck similar to the one in the crash, told Melbourne radio 3AW he was shocked by the tragedy.
“It hasn’t hit home yet, but the job they do, I don’t think is respected enough,” he said.
Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt told reporters he hopes “we never have another day like this”.
“Make no mistake, whilst this incident occurred in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, the ripple effect was within minutes felt in far flung regions of the state,” he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews asked all Victorians to pause and honour Victoria Police officers for the work they do.
More than $37,000 has been raised towards the $2 million target for the families of the deceased police officers via a GoFundMe page.
The semitrailer was removed on Thursday morning and the freeway remains closed between Bulleen Road and the Chandler Highway.
