Police officer killed, driver dead following three-car crash at Red Cliffs near Mildura

The family of police officer Bria Joyce, killed in a horror road tragedy in Mildura, have shared their grief ahead of her funeral.

The family of a police officer killed in a road tragedy has shared their grief ahead of her funeral.

Senior Constable Bria Joyce, 25, and mechanic Josh Moore, 23, died in a horrific crash in Red Cliffs, near Mildura, the night of April 8.

Loved ones of Sen Con Joyce will farewell her at a service in Mildura on Thursday.

Her contribution to the force will be marked with a guard of honour and Air Wing fly over.

Sen Con Joyce’s partner issued a statement on behalf of her family.

It read: “Bria’s extended family, friends, and I are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Bria. We ask for privacy at this very tough time to come to terms with our loss”.

The death of the 25 year old has sent “ripples through the entire force,” police association president Wayne Gatt said.

Ms Joyce died when her unmarked car was involved in a crash with a ute on Kulkyne Rd in the Mildura suburb of Red Cliffs about 10pm on Friday.

Senior Constable Bria Joyce tragically died in a collision at Red Cliffs. Supplied: Victoria Police

The man driving the ute also died, while 43-year-old senior constable Thomas Kinnane was flown to hospital in a critical condition.

It is understood Senior Constable Kinnane suffered internal injuries and leg injuries in the horror smash.

Senior Constable Kinnane, who has been a police officer for more than two decades, has been part of the highway patrol unit for the past four years.

The father of three is now in a serious condition at the Royal Melbourne hospital and is said to be improving.

Two young children and another passenger in the second car were taken to hospital with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

On Saturday evening, wreckage had been cleared from the crash site and final clean up crews were arriving on scene.

The road remained blocked with no indication of when it is expected to re-open

It comes as Mr Gatt said the officer’s life was “cut short in their duty to the community”.

“The impact of a tragedy like this, ripples through the entire force,” he said.

“To the colleagues and friends of our fallen member, days like today are the toughest we face in policing. We are thinking of you, and we stand beside you always.

“We would like to express our heartfelt sadness to the family of our member.

“Your sacrifice can’t be measured.”

Mr Gatt on Saturday addressed the media outside the Mildura police station.

“This is just another indescribable loss for Victoria Police,” he said.

Mr Gatt said he spoke to the female officer’s mother this morning and offered his condolences, however he said no words can “take the pain away”.

“I can only hope that knowing at that time she was serving the community, making it a safer place brings some solace,” he said.

The police officer and another driver were killed in a three-car crash near Mildura. Picture: Brittany Carlson

Floral tributes outside the Mildura police station. Picture: Brittany Carlson

He thanked investigators that he said were working “tirelessly” at the scene to put together the pieces of what happened to “one of their own”.

“I also want to thank those first responders that weren’t police, that turned up and offered their support last night,” he said.

“Knowing that you’re there to support us is a massive comfort.”

Gatt said that attending a scene with a colleague involved is never easy especially in a close knit community like this.

“Sadly we feel a little bit helpless,” he said.

The ute is removed from the scene. Picture: Glenn Milne

“They haven’t just lost a cop, this isn’t just a work mate, this is a friend, when you come to work in a police station like this in a regional community like this … people here come to be much more to you than just your colleagues they become your family.”

The injured officer is fighting with “serious injuries”, Gatt said and the community waiting to see how the officer recovers.

“He will be recovering for quite some time.”

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said both officers were highly regarded and his heart went out to the friends and family of all those involved – as well as his police colleagues.

“Attending a fatal collision is a difficult thing for any police officer to do, but when you’re actually attending the scene of a colleague in a close-knit tight community, that makes it especially difficult,” he said.

Police Minister Lisa Neville gave her condolences to the entire Mildura community, Victoria Police and others who had been affected by the tragedy.

“This is a really terrible day today. We’ve again unfortunately lost another member of the Victoria Police family,” she said.”

“The whole Mildura community will be hurting today.”

Minister Neville also recognised the sacrifice the police force made for Victorians, reflecting on the 2020 Eastern Freeway Tragedy that took the lives of four police officers.

“Nearly two years since the Eastern Freeway incident and again, it reminds us just how dangerous policing can be.”

“Every time a police officer heads out to a shift, they put their lives on the line to keep our community safe.”

“To see another life lost just going about their job is heartbreaking for all of us.”

Preliminary investigations by the major collision investigation unit show a Nissan ute driven by a 23-year-old male travelling in the opposite direction veered off path, crashing into the police car head-on.

The vehicle travelling behind the police car, containing two adults and three children, then collided into the rear of the police.

A driver of a third car involved and a child passenger received minor injuries and were also taken to hospital.

Detectives have travelled to the rural site overnight and are investigating.

Police said there was no evidence to suggest the police car was attempting any interceptions or pursuits.

The tragedy occurred just kilometres from the last Mildura collision which killed six teenagers in 2006 after a man ploughed into them with a station wagon.

It also comes as the second anniversary of the deaths of four police officers on the Eastern Freeway approaches.

The death of the senior constable is the seventh police fatality in the line of duty since 2018.

The Police Association Victoria has offered assistance to the families, and colleagues of both officers involved in the crash.

It is expected the road will be closed most of Saturday.

A roadblock diverting traffic around the crash is in place.