Mohinder Singh to plead guilty over Eastern Freeway crash that killed four police officers
The truck driver who killed four police on the Eastern Freeway has told a court he intends to plead guilty to culpable driving. But the case has been stalled for two weeks, here’s why.
Police & Courts
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The truck driver accused of veering into the emergency lane killing four police officers on the Eastern Freeway is ready to plead guilty, a court has heard.
Mohinder Singh, 47, of Cranbourne, fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court via videolink from prison on Thursday, where his lawyer said he intended to enter guilty pleas to 10 charges, including four counts of culpable driving causing the deaths of the four police members
The court heard the prosecution would withdraw 27 of the 37 charges he was facing over the April 22 collision as part of a plea deal.
“This matter’s resolved,” Mr Singh’s Barrister Peter Morrissey told presiding magistrate Tara Hartnett.
Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Josh Prestney were all killed in the crash — the biggest loss of officer lives in a single event in Victoria.
The officers were standing in the emergency lane having stopped Porsche driver Richard Pusey for allegedly speeding at up to 149km/h when Mr Singh’s truck allegedly collided with them.
But the case hit a legal hurdle after the prosecution revealed it wanted Ms Hartnett to commit Mr Singh to the Supreme Court, instead of the County Court.
Mr Morrissey did not oppose the rare move to have the case uplifted to the higher court for sentencing.
But Ms Hartnett said there were procedures in place for that process, and the parties should have applied to the Supreme Court 14 days before the case coming before her.
She adjourned the hearing to December 3 for that application to be made, saying she would get Mr Singh to formally enter his pleas then. Mr Morrissey said for the sake of Mr Singh and the victim’s families, “it would be very desirable if he indicates he is pleading guilty today”.
Charge sheets allege Mr Singh was driving the heavy vehicle while affected by illicit drugs and fatigue.
An earlier court heard how he was “wailing” as he paced up and down in the emergency lane after the crash.
He claimed he swerved after seeing a witch on the road. The truckie could not be interviewed by detectives for days, taken to hospital in an ambulance after he allegedly suffered a medical episode and “blacked out” at the scene.
Among the charges the prosecution said it would drop reckless conduct endangering death, dangerous driving causing death, and drug trafficking and possession charges relating to cannabis and methylamphetamine found in his truck and home. Prosecutor Jason Ong said charge 18 — which alleges Mr Singh drove “whilst under the influence of any drug to such an extent that he was incapable of having proper control of the motor vehicle” — would also be withdrawn under the plea deal.
Three charges alleging he had trafficked drugs to a child in the weeks before the crash would also be struck out.
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