Support after the scene

Editorial: Cassandra Stanghi

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

For most passers-by, the scene of a serious road collision is a sad sight quickly forgotten after driving past the flashing lights of emergency services.

But for the Major Collision Investigation Unit (MCIU), the scene is the beginning of a months-long process to hold offending drivers to account and provide a degree of closure to victims of road trauma.

The specialised unit of 48 detectives investigate fatal and serious injury collisions under many circumstances, including those involving criminal negligence by a surviving driver.

It’s a unit nobody wants to be busy, but having attended 156 collisions in 2022 alone, the MCIU sadly has no shortage of work.

Investigations can be lengthy, and while collating a strong brief of evidence to be used for successful prosecution in court is a key part of the unit’s role, MCIU members go far beyond their technical skillsets to provide support for the families of victims.

MCIU detectives act as the primary police contact point for families throughout investigations and ensure they are well supported and informed. Formally, this includes important referrals to support services and resources, but according to Detective Leading Senior Constable Kelly Carvill, the most powerful support provided often isn’t bound by formalities.

“From our initial contact on the phone with a bereaved loved one, to the first meet-and-greet with a family and all the way through the investigation, we’re very focused on keeping them involved and giving them opportunities to ask questions that might help them come to terms with what’s happened,” Det Ldg Sen Const Carvill said.

In her 11 years of working in the MCIU, Det Ldg Sen Const Carvill has led investigations for countless tragic collisions, but some stand out more than others.

In January 2020, she was assigned to a job where two firefighters driving back to their depot during the 2019/20 Victorian bushfires came head-to-head with another car driving on the incorrect shoulder of the road. The two vehicles collided and firefighter Mat Kavanagh, a young father, was tragically killed while his colleague John Martin suffered injuries.

When reflecting on the investigation, Det Ldg Sen Const Carvill was eager to highlight a heartfelt initiative from her colleague Detective Leading Senior Constable Steve Mottram, who spent nine hours at the scene in Victoria’s north-east.

Det Ldg Sen Const Mottram spent a lot of time with both the Kavanagh and Martin families in the days following the collision, including with their young children.

“I thought about what I could do to try to help the children through this process as, within a day, police were at their houses, one of their fathers wasn’t there anymore and the other was trying to put on a brave face after losing his colleague,” Det Ldg Sen Const Mottram said.

“I wanted to give each of the children something that might bring them some comfort, something to hug at night when they may be missing their father.”

Det Ldg Sen Const Mottram and the Blue Ribbon Foundation arranged a plush police puppy toy for each of the children, a heartfelt gesture which didn’t go unnoticed by the families.

“I feel very strongly about trying to help people through the most difficult times and, in particular, I feel for the children as they are sometimes too young to understand what’s going on,” he said.

For Detective Senior Constable David Swankie, a keen interest in road policing and a desire to influence positive change on Victorian roads attracted him to join the MCIU in June 2020.

For MCIU members like Det Ldg Sen Const Steve Mottram, setting up sophisticated scene-examining equipment is just the beginning of a complex journey to case closure.

Photo: Jesse Wray-McCann

A year after joining the unit, Det Sen Const Swankie was assigned to a job with unthinkably heartbreaking circumstances, requiring great care in both investigating the collision and supporting a grief-stricken family – the death of a teenage boy on his 16th birthday.

Lachlan McLaren was walking his girlfriend home in Mentone when an out-of-control vehicle struck and immediately killed him. His final act is believed to be pushing his girlfriend out of harm’s way.

Despite the cause of the collision being clear, an extensive investigation was needed to ensure enough evidence was presented in court to hold the offending driver to account.

“The driver displayed behaviours consistent with drug use at the scene and many witnesses observed his erratic driving immediately prior to the collision,” Det Sen Const Swankie said.

“It was pretty clear from that initial stage that impairment was going to be a factor.”

Beyond examining photos and videos of the scene, body-worn camera footage of first responders, witness statements and determinations from forensic experts, the investigation also involved examining the driver’s mobile phone usage data to build a fatigue timeline.

“We found there was only a four-hour period in the three days leading up to the collision where he could have slept for more than 15 minutes,” Det Sen Const Swankie said.

This sleep deprivation combined with the methamphetamine and cannabis found in the driver’s system painted a clear picture of how the speeding and unlicensed driver was able to cause a tragic outcome.

During the investigation, Det Sen Const Swankie built a strong relationship with Lachlan’s family through transparent conversations and lending a listening ear.

“I’m always very honest with families that I’ve never been in their situation, but by listening to them and reassuring them that I’m going to do everything I can to get them some answers, it goes a long way in creating a good relationship,” he said.

Just over 12 months after the collision that took Lachlan’s life, the offending driver was sentenced to a record 15 years behind bars.

While the significant sentence was pleasing for the McLaren family, Det Sen Const Swankie knows complete closure is difficult to achieve when a loved one is lost suddenly.

Everybody in the unit is really supportive and we look out for each other because we all know what we're dealing with.

“We often say to families that a sentence is just a number and we all know that no sentence will bring someone’s loved one back,” he said.

For MCIU detectives, the confronting nature of their investigative work and their dedication to supporting distraught loved ones can be emotionally taxing. The unit takes its commitment to protecting the wellbeing of its members seriously, with police psychologists and chaplains readily available whenever they need support.

“We see some terrible things that no amount of training can prepare you for, but our office has done a fantastic job to protect our mental health over the last few years by giving us great access to support and minimising the traumatic things we’re exposed to where possible,” Det Ldg Sen Const Carvill said.

Despite the difficult circumstances the unit deals with every day, MCIU detectives share a strong sense of camaraderie built upon the rewarding work they do.

“Everybody in the unit is really supportive and we look out for each other because we all know what we’re dealing with,” Det Sen Const Swankie said.

For Det Ldg Sen Const Carvill, it’s this sense of unity and the feeling of making a difference that has kept her interest in the unit alive for more than a decade of working there.

“I remember being a recruit at the Academy 17 years ago and MCIU presented a lecture which really inspired me to work hard to get into the unit,” she said.

“Now all of these years later, I really do believe this is the best job in Victoria Police.”