Charges over cop tragedy

A 21-YEAR-OLD man is in custody after a Victorian police officer was hit by a car and killed while taking part in a ride to commemorate police who died in the line of duty.

Victoria Police say the car was travelling along the Princes Highway near Orbost in the state’s east on Friday afternoon when it veered on to the opposite side of the road and struck the policeman’s bike. He died at the scene. The officer was among 300 riders in the Wall to Wall Ride from Melbourne to Canberra.

The man will appear at Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court today.