An accused drug driver allegedly taunted a police officer as she lay dying after a Melbourne crash, saying he just wanted to eat sushi at home and swearing about his Porsche being smashed.
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"There you go. Amazing, absolutely amazing," Richard Pusey is alleged to have told a groaning Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor after she and three colleagues were hit by a truck on the city's Eastern Freeway on Wednesday.
"All I wanted was to go home and have my sushi and now you've "f***ed my f***ing car," the 41-year-old mortgage broker is also accused of saying as he filmed the graphic scene before fleeing.
He had been pulled over after allegedly driving at 149km/h in a 100km/h zone, and police say he tested positive to ice and cannabis.
He was urinating on the side of the road when the truck veered into the emergency lane and fatally hit Sen Const Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, and Constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney, as they were impounding the black Porsche.
Pusey wasn't hurt and Senior Const Taylor could be heard calling for help before he allegedly took two iPhones from the wrecked car, started filming and walked right up to the officer.
After being told to leave by witnesses who stopped to help, Pusey allegedly said "that's my f***ing car mate" before asking another driver for a ride to Fitzroy.
There is no evidence Pusey himself posted photos of the crash to Facebook but he sent material to at least two people, police said when the 41-year-old appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
He is charged with nine offences including driving at a dangerous speed, reckless conduct endangering life, failing to render assistance and drug possession.
Pusey is also charged with the destruction of evidence after allegedly handing investigators the phone he said he filmed the scene on, before they realised it was the wrong one and had been wiped.
Other charges include failing to remain after a drug test, failing to exchange details and three counts of committing an indictable offence while on bail.
Pusey is said to have spoken to his wife and doctor after the crash.
He then allegedly called a federal police officer he knew and sent her video he'd recorded.
He is also accused of sending pictures of the crime scene, which included the bodies of two police officers, to someone else he knew, joking he was hoping to get out of the fine.
Pusey told police he appreciated the fact they wanted him to come in for an interview but said he could not do that, before turning himself in with a solicitor the next day.
The 41-year-old's lawyer said in court Pusey had mental health issues.
Informant Aaron Price observed a moment of silence during the hearing to honour the four officers killed.
The driver of the truck that ploughed into the group suffered a medical episode following the crash and remains in hospital under police guard.
He has not been charged.
Pusey did not apply for bail was remanded in custody for a committal mention on July 16.
Australian Associated Press
