The driver of a truck that ploughed into four police officers is unlikely to be interviewed over the crash until at least Monday, according to police.
The Age has also been told Mohinda Singh Bajwa, who has been under police guard at Royal Melbourne Hospital since suffering a medical episode immediately after the accident, had a pre-existing mental health issue.
Mohinder Singh Bajwa.
An ice pipe was found in the cabin of the truck and a second pipe was found during a search of the 47-year-old father's Cranbourne home.
The four police officers were killed when the truck drove into them on the Eastern Freeway, near Kew, about 5.40pm on Wednesday.
Police had pulled over a black Porsche 911 for alleged speeding and the officers were in the emergency lane preparing to impound the car when they were struck.
The driver of the Porsche, millionaire mortgage broker Richard Pusey, was urinating on the side of the freeway when the horrific crash occurred.
He is accused of filming dying Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, telling her: "There you go, amazing, absolutely amazing. All I wanted to do was go home and have some sushi and now you f---ed my f---ing car, all I wanted to do was go home and have some sushi".
As multiple passersby got out of their cars to help, Mr Pusey allegedly took two iPhones from his car and walked around the scene using a phone to record videos.
Body-cam footage captured Mr Pusey walking up to Senior Constable Taylor as she was pinned to the truck. She can be heard groaning before he allegedly taunted her. A pathologist has told police it was likely she was still alive at that point.
Mr Pusey, who was allegedly clocked at 149km/h and later tested positive to ice and cannabis, has been placed in protective custody at Melbourne Assessment Prison.
His home was vandalised on Friday night, with the word 'DIE' daubed on the black garage door that was also kicked in.
His girlfriend – who lives in the $3 million red-brick converted warehouse in Fitzroy – called police about 4am on Saturday.
The graffiti was later cleaned off but is still faintly visible. Police are investigating the incident.
Investigators had been hopeful on Friday night of getting medical clearance to interview Singh Bajwa, who has undergone drug and alcohol tests, however, police now say in could be days away.
Police sources told The Age Singh Bajwa had not responded to questions on Saturday and was unlikely to be interviewed until at least Monday.
Police have declined to provide an update on his condition.
On Friday, Police Commissioner Graham Ashton said police would still be able to reconstruct the crash using GPS data.
"The mere fact that he [Singh Bajwa] is in hospital and we have been unable to get to him doesn’t mean that they have had to sit idle. They’ve been able to actually do a lot of work on reconstruction prior to him being available for interview."
Leading Senior Constable Taylor was killed alongside Senior Constable Kevin King and new recruits Constable Josh Prestney and Constable Glen Humphris. Constable Prestney's family has indicated they will make a statement on Sunday.
On Friday afternoon, Todd Robinson, the devastated partner of Constable Humphris spoke of his pain, his "soulmate's" love for policing and of the "adventurous" life they had built together.
"He is gone and I'm still coming to terms with that," he said.
"That door is not going to open and he’s not going to bumble in, say 'hello' to me and grab the dog, and me and him go off for a walk."
Four small funerals for the fallen police officers killed in the Eastern Freeway tragedy will take place in coming weeks before a larger public memorial service with full police honours is held as soon as possible after coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
Chloe Booker is a reporter at The Age.
Simone is a crime reporter for The Age. Most recently she covered breaking news for The Age, and before that for The Australian in Melbourne.
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2020-04-25 07:34:23Z
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