Anthony

DETAILS OF DEATH

On the evening of Saturday 23 April 2005 Senior Constable Clarke was performing routine traffic patrol duties working alone in an unmarked police car. At 10.34 p.m. he intercepted a car at Wandin driven by a 26 year old man who was alone in the vehicle. The Senior Constable issued the man with a Traffic Infringement Notice for speeding. Shortly after 1 a.m. the next morning Clarke again intercepted the man this time in Warburton Highway Launching Place and apparently wanted him to undertake a random breath test. The man apparently lost control and struggled with the officer before grabbing Clarke’s revolver. He then forced the policeman to lie on the ground before shooting him in the back of the head. Leaving the body at the side of the highway the man fled the scene in the police car still armed with the revolver. Soon after members from Clarke’s own unit located his body and a search was immediately begun. A short time later witnesses reported the police car was being driven erratically near Mt Evelyn some 25 kilometres away. Police converged on the scene. As they approached the police car a shot was heard and soon after the man’s lifeless body was located.