Concerns raised about truckie’s drug use, fatigue in days before crash, court told

The supervisor also reported his concerns to the company’s day shift manager, Simiona Tuteru, and said he had doubts over whether Singh was fit to drive. Mr Tuteru told the supervisor he would speak to Singh, the court heard.

But later that day, Mr Kissane said, Singh sent text messages to Mr Tuteru saying they needed to speak about a “hard time” the driver was having at home.

Mr Tuteru texted back: “Talk this arvo. I will be in office.”

Singh: “OK but Steve [the other supervisor] said I’m not fit to drive.”

Mr Tuteru: “Steve is NOT a doctor.”

Singh: “Ok thanks.”

Mr Kissane said Singh arrived at work that afternoon, spoke and prayed with Mr Tuteru and agreed he would make one delivery from Lyndhurst to Thomastown that afternoon.

Mr Tuteru is charged with manslaughter and is due to face court in May.

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Singh signed a “fitness to drive” form and began driving.

Minutes later he stopped for a drug deal with an associate and less than 40 minutes after that exchange, other drivers saw Singh’s truck veer across the freeway lanes and into the emergency lane. One driver told his passenger:“This dude’s going to f—ing kill someone.”

Mr Kissane said that in the seconds before the crash motion sensors in the truck activated lights and an alarm after detecting the two stationary police cars and Porsche ahead, but Singh made no attempt to brake and crashed at between 62km/h and 80km/h, according to a crash reconstruction expert.

Senior Constable King’s partner, Sharron MacKenzie, tearfully told the court she felt she would “die from a broken heart” from losing her “soul mate and best friend”.

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They spent a lifetime together after meeting as teenagers and together had three sons, who adored their father and spent weekends watching and playing sport.

“The pain that comes with losing your best friend, your life partner, your protector and the father of your children is indescribable. The gut-wrenching pain of a lost love,” Ms MacKenzie said.

Leading Senior Constable Taylor’s husband, former police officer Stuart Schulze, remembered his wife as a keen traveller, “ferociously protective mother” of their two sons and an officer who loved her responsibility of working to keep roads safe but hated the dangers the job posed.

“I have a deep sadness for all the things we did together but can no longer share,” Mr Schulze said.

Constable Prestney’s parents, Andrew and Belinda, described the dread of waiting for news after they saw a television report about the crash and the loss of meaning in their lives in the months since. Ms Prestney had been unable to reconcile her two recurring images of her son, in his cot as a newborn and in his casket.

“The disbelief and anguish over what I have lost has shattered my world. The pain and grief are visceral and have manifested themselves as a weight that sits on my back, runs through my veins and has left a gaping wound in my heart,” she said.

Constable Prestney’s brother, Alex, is also a police officer but has been unable to return to his job in highway patrol since the crash, had trouble wearing his uniform and lost his identity. He said he was blessed to have worked alongside his big brother but felt he wasn’t there for him at the crash.

Todd Robinson, Constable Humphris’ partner, told Singh his crimes left him at a loss, with no motivation to be around people, unemployable and with his dreams dashed.

“Your actions on that day and in the days leading up to it didn’t just kill my partner, it destroyed my life and my trust in people,” he said.

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The four officers were standing in the emergency lane preparing to arrest Richard Pusey after pulling over his Porsche for speeding. Pusey was urinating at the side of the road and was uninjured. He filmed the aftermath on his mobile phone before leaving the scene.

Pusey on Wednesday pleaded guilty to outraging public decency and other charges for filming the critically injured officers. He remains in custody awaiting a plea hearing on March 31.

Singh has pleaded guilty to four counts of culpable driving causing death, three of drug trafficking and other charges.

The father of two from Cranbourne remains in custody while his plea hearing continues.

More to come