‘These cops were harassing me, that’s justice’

A graphic video taken immediately after the deadly collision that claimed the lives of four police officers captured an unidentified man saying ‘these cops were harassing me, that’s justice’. 

It is understood the video was taken by a motorist who stopped at the scene to render assistance. 

The revelations come as a man accused of taking photos of the crash and posting them to social media prepares to front a Melbourne court. 

Many officers changed their Facebook profile photo to a fallen angel after hearing four colleagues had been killed

Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton could not conceal his disgust at allegations a man involved in the crash took photos and fled

Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton could not conceal his disgust at allegations a man involved in the crash took photos and fled

Emergency services took the bodies of the four police officers away from the scene

Emergency services took the bodies of the four police officers away from the scene

Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Constable Glen Humphris, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Josh Prestney were all killed in the crash on Wednesday evening. 

They had pulled over Richard Pusey on the side of the Eastern Freeway when a truck driven by Mohinder Singh Bajwa mowed them down. 

In a video taken in the aftermath of the accident, a man who cannot be seen says the horrific accident was justice.

‘These cops were harassing me, that’s justice’, the man says.  

Pusey, 41, was hit with a string of charges late on Thursday night including reckless conduct endangering life, failing to remain after a drug test and drug possession. 

But his alleged conduct after the crash has shocked the community and disgusted police. 

Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Josh Prestney had not been in the job very long. 

They were both working in the Probationary Constable Extended Training Scheme.

Constable Humphris was stationed at Collingwood and on placement with the Road Policing Drug and Alcohol Section. 

Constable Prestney was from Boroondara and working with Nunawading Highway Patrol.

Young officers at the beginning of their careers. 

Not murdered in cold blood, but snuffed out during a routine traffic stop. 

They were hit from behind by a refrigerated truck while standing in the emergency lane after they had pulled over the driver of a Porsche allegedly being driven by hot shot businessman Richard Pusey. 

Word had spread fast among Victoria Police members that something didn’t quite seem right about the way this shocking crash had happened. 

Someone had done a runner. 

Richard Pusey, 41, the driver at the centre of a crash that killed four police officers, is a mortgage broker with an extensive criminal history. He was taken away by police from his home on Thursday evening

Richard Pusey, 41, the driver at the centre of a crash that killed four police officers, is a mortgage broker with an extensive criminal history. He was taken away by police from his home on Thursday evening

One of the four officers killed is seen being escorted by police down the Eastern Freeway away from the scene of the horror crash

One of the four officers killed is seen being escorted by police down the Eastern Freeway away from the scene of the horror crash

The police car that arrived at the scene was crushed by a refrigeration truck - killing four police officers who were standing by the roadside

The police car that arrived at the scene was crushed by a refrigeration truck – killing four police officers who were standing by the roadside

But it hadn’t been the driver of the truck. 

Police allege Pusey had tested positive for drugs at the crash scene. 

As the bodies of those brave souls lay dead on the side of the highway – one pinned between Purvey’s about to be impounded Porsche 911 and the truck – Purvey did the unthinkable. 

Police will allege he whipped out his camera and took snaps of the carnage before fleeing the scene on foot. 

The images later appeared on social media. 

Daily Mail Australia has seen the gruesome images but has chosen not to publish them. 

They show a horrendous and heartbreaking sight. 

Bright yellow police vests drenched in dark red blood. 

They were images Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton had seen before facing the media at 8am on Thursday. 

Richard Pusey, 41, the driver at the centre of a crash that killed four police officers, is a mortgage broker with an extensive criminal history

Richard Pusey, 41, the driver at the centre of a crash that killed four police officers, is a mortgage broker with an extensive criminal history

Chicken truck driver Mohinder Singh Bajwa blacked out following the accident on the Eastern Freeway near Kew, Melbourne, on Wednesday evening

Chicken truck driver Mohinder Singh Bajwa blacked out following the accident on the Eastern Freeway near Kew, Melbourne, on Wednesday evening

The no-nonsense policeman put on a composed performance as he went into what detail he could about the atrocious night before. 

‘These officers were undertaking their everyday duties in helping to keep the community safe when they were killed,’ he said. 

‘Each from different backgrounds, each with different life experiences, each with a common goal to keep the community safe.

Their families will never be the same and our thoughts and prayers are with them.’

It wasn’t until he began to take questions from the media pack that his humanity and fierce blue-blood took centre stage. 

He had been asked about the photographs. 

Hours earlier Mr Ashton had been forced to ask detectives to request Facebook remove the graphic photos. 

The social media giant did, but the damage had already been done and by Thursday afternoon they were doing the rounds. 

Mr Ashton did not mince his words. 

‘To flee the scene of an accident is an indictable offence,’ Mr Ashton said.

‘As chief commissioner, to have four officers killed last night with someone who has clearly been driving erratically on the freeway with an extensive criminal history, it disgusts me.

‘Today when I’m spending time with the family members of those deceased officers I can tell you it will absolutely disgust them.’

Mr Ashton said ‘to leave the scene is a very, very low act’, which was compounded by sharing the photos.

‘If I wasn’t wearing the uniform of Chief Commissioner, I would give you far more colourful language,’ he said.

On Thursday evening, Purvey was led from his Fitzroy home in hand cuffs and taken to jail. 

High profile criminal lawyer George Balot said Pusey could face jail time if found guilty of fleeing the scene. 

‘If owing to the presence of a motor vehicle an accident occurs whereby someone suffers serious injury or is killed, the driver must immediately stop the motor vehicle; and must immediately render such assistance as he or she can,’ he said.

‘The maximum penalty is 10 years imprisonments or 1200 penalty units or $198,264 fine.’

Mr Balot said if Pusey did not exchange name and address and provide those to the police at the scene or at the nearest police station he was liable for a first offence to a penalty of not more than $13,217.60 or to imprisonment for a term of up to eight months.

‘It is unknown why he fled the scene, and it would be inappropriate to speculate at this juncture, however he would struggle to argue shock and trauma, which is often raised by accused persons in court, mainly due to his post office conduct of taking photographs of the mayhem,’ he said.

‘Even if he were traumatised, he should’ve presented himself at the nearest police station immediately following the accident. 

‘Leaving the scene of the accident considerably escalated the gravity of his offending conduct. Had he remained at the scene and complied with his legal obligations, the focus of the tragedy would’ve been on the driver of the truck that collided with the police officers chasing the accident rather than the Porsche that was parked in a location as directed by intercepting police members.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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