A FEMALE police senior constable and a male utility driver died at the scene of a three-car road collision in Red Cliffs on Friday night.
The deceased utility driver was a 23-year-old man from Cardross, and a male leading senior constable was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition with leg and internal injuries after the crash, which happened about 10pm.
Senior Constable Bria Joyce, 25, was the officer killed in the crash. Senior constable Thomas Kinnane, 43, was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries.
Police said an unmarked police car and the utility were travelling in opposite directions on Kulkyne Way when they collided near Forbes Road. They later said preliminary investigations suggested the Nissan Navara had veered across the road before the head-on crash.
The police officers had been conducting a routine patrol and had not been involved in a pursuit or interception.
Two young children and a male driver were in a third vehicle involved in the crash and were taken to hospital, but police later said they were not injured.
Major collision investigation unit detectives were travelling to the collision site, police said.
The road was closed into Saturday while detectives investigated at the scene.
Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told the media on Saturday morning that the 43-year-old leading senior constable who was a passenger in the highway patrol car was in a critical but stable condition in Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Stressing that the investigation at the scene was preliminary, Mr Patton said a Nissan ute travelling in the opposite direction to the police car on Kulkyne Way veered into the path of the police vehicle and the two collided head-on.
He said a car travelling behind the police, carrying a man and three children, then struck the police car.
The police car had not been involved in a pursuit or intercept of either vehicle, but the police professional standards command would be involved as a member of the public had died.
Mr Patton said investigators would attempt to reconstruct the crash at the scene. The police community would be deeply affected by the tragedy.
"No one expects to go to work and not come home," he said.
"We're also nearing the second anniversary of the deaths of our four members who were killed on the Eastern Freeway in Kew.
"This will obviously impact substantially across the police force and it will also impact right throughout the community.
"Our hearts go out to all of those family and friends of all deceased persons.
"Our hearts go out to our police colleagues.
"This will be especially difficult.
"Attending a fatal collision is a difficult thing for a 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."
Mr Patton said he would send an assistant commissioner to Mildura, along with welfare support staff, and indicated he would come to Mildura in the next few days.
"This is an absolute tragedy for the police officers involved," he said.
"It's a tragedy for the families and friends of those police officers.
"It's a tragedy and absolutely heartbreaking for the family and friends of the civilian driver involved.
"We will group around our members, as we do. We will provide the support that we can, as much as we can, but it is no do doubt going to be a difficult few days."
Victorian police union secretary Wayne Gatt said police were grieving for a colleague who was a “loved one, friend and protector"..
“We would like to express our heartfelt sadness to the family of our member. Your sacrifice can’t be measured. The impact of a tragedy like this, ripples through the entire force,” he said.
Anyone who witnessed the crash, or who has dashcam footage, should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
