The Weekend Post

Accused ‘taunted cop as she died’

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AN ACCUSED drug-driver allegedly said “amazing, absolutely amazing” as a police officer lay dying after a truck ploughed into her and three colleagues on a Melbourne freeway.

Richard Pusey, 41, (right) had been pulled over after allegedly speeding at 140km/h on the Eastern Freeway on Wednesday and tested positive to ice and cannabis. He was urinating on the side of the freeway when a truck driver veered into the emergency lane and hit the four officers impounding Pusey’s black Porsche, police said.

One of them, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, could be heard calling for help before Pusey allegedly began filming the graphic scene.

He is accused of walking up to her as she was pinned down by the truck and saying: “There you go. Amazing, absolutely amazing.”

“All I wanted was to go home and have my sushi and now you’ve “f---ed my f---ing car,” Pusey allegedly said as Sen-Constable Taylor continued to groan, Melbourne Magistrate­s Court was told yesterday.

The officer and three of her colleagues, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney, died at the scene, with Pusey accused of fleeing.

He allegedly told a witness who stopped to help “that’s my f---ing car mate” and is then accused of asking one person for a ride to his home in Fitzroy. There is no evidence Pusey posted photos of the crash to Facebook, police told the court.

The mortgage broker is said to have called his wife and told her what he had seen while being given a lift to Fitzroy, and also spoke to his doctor about it.

Pusey then allegedly called a federal police officer he knew, told her about the crash and sent her video, and also sent pictures of the crime scene to a witness, joking that he was hoping to get out of the fine.

His lawyer told the court Pusey had mental health issues.

He is charged with numerous offences, including driving at a dangerous speed, reckless conduct endangerin­g life, failing to render assistance and drug possession.

The driver of the truck who ploughed into the group suffered a medical episode after the crash, blacked out and remains in hospital under police guard. He has not been charged.

Pusey did not apply for bail and has been remanded in custody for a committal mention on July 16.

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