A mortgage broker who allegedly fled the scene of a fatal crash on Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway that left four police officers dead is alleged to have filmed the dying officers before leaving the scene on foot, ridiculing them for ruining his Porsche, a court has heard.
41-year-old Richard Pusey fronted Melbourne Magistrates Court earlier this morning, charged with a laundry list of offences included driving at a dangerous speed, reckless conduct endangering life, failing to remain after a drug test, failing to render assistance, failing to exchange details, possession of a drug of dependence, destruction of evidence, and three counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail.
Pusey was pulled over by police on Wednesday night allegedly travelling at 149km/h. He subsequently returned a positive drug test for ice and cannabis. Pusey was said to have been urinating on the side of the freeway when a refrigerated truck veered into the emergency lane and struck four police officers and Pusey’s car. The driver of the truck is believed to have suffered a medical episode and is now being treated in hospital.
The four officers involved, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Constable Glen Humphris, Senior Constable Kevin King, and Constable Josh Prestney all died as a result of the collision.
This morning, the court heard evidence from the police report, which stated that as other motorists stopped to render assistance, Pusey allegedly retrieved two iPhones from his car and began taking videos of the scene, including of the mortally wounded officers.
Senior Constable Taylor’s body camera is said to have captured the aftermath of the incident. In court, police allege that that footage shows Pusey walking up to Taylor, who was pinned to the truck, and saying to her “There you go, amazing, absolutely amazing. All I wanted to do was go home and have some sushi and now you fucked my fucking car.” A police pathologist believes Senior Constable Taylor was likely still alive at that stage.
Police in court asserted that Pusey phoned Fitzroy Police Station later that night and was told to present himself, to which he responded that he “couldn’t.” At 9:40am Thursday morning, Pusey presented to the West Melbourne Police Centre on Spencer Street with a lawyer and surrendered a phone which police later discovered had been intentionally wiped to factory settings. A search of his Fitzroy home later uncovered an iPhone 11 which police believe Pusey used to film the crash scene.
In addressing media this afternoon, Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said of the case “sometimes… you’re reminded that evil walks among us.”
Pusey did not apply for bail, and was remanded in custody ahead of a scheduled court appearance on July 16.
