Victoria Police Officers Recall Deadliest Day Six Years After Freeway Tragedy

Melbourne, Australia – Six years after a devastating crash claimed the lives of four Victoria Police officers, the force is still grappling with the memory of one of its darkest days. On April 22, 2020, officers were conducting a routine traffic stop on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway when a semi-trailer veered into the emergency lane, killing Constable Glen Humphris, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, and Constable Josh Prestney.

The incident marked the single deadliest moment in Victoria Police's history and triggered years of protracted criminal prosecutions, the final stages of which concluded only recently. The memory of the horror continues to affect those involved, with some officers now speaking publicly for the first time about the events of that day and the challenging aftermath.

Superintendent John Fitzpatrick, who was responsible for notifying the families of the deceased officers, recalled the grim task. "I still had to say… 'I've got some horrible news for you'," he stated, describing the moment he delivered the news to the families.

The crash occurred after officers Taylor and Humphris pulled over a speeding Porsche. As backup officers King and Prestney arrived, a Volvo prime mover collided with their police vehicles. Inspector Craig Pearson, the duty officer at the time, learned of the fatal incident through the force's media unit, an unusual request that signaled the severity of the event.

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I still had to say… 'I've got some horrible news for you'.