An award-winning country police officer says he will fight to clear his in name in court, after being charged with recklessly speeding to the scene of an accident.
Leading Senior Constable Bradley Beecroft was charged after he travelled up to 230km/h to help an injured colleague who was struck by a car on the side of a freeway last year.
Beecroft has been in the police force for 16 years, however now finds himself facing the possibility of jail time over the incident.
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The highway patrol officer carried a "gold class licence", which allows police officers to be exempt from speed restrictions while on duty.
In March last year, he was called to a crash on the Hume Freeway near Euroa.
On the way there, Beecroft and his colleague were alerted that the police car already at the scene had been hit and officers were potentially injured.
He then activated lights and sirens as well as the in-car camera, engaging in what's called "urgent duty driving".
Prosecutors allege he acted recklessly when he overtook dozens of other motorists and reached speeds of up to 230km/h.
One of the officers at the scene was injured and needed to be taken to hospital.
Beecroft told investigators he felt he had driven appropriately, especially given the then recent events of the Eastern Freeway police tragedy that claimed the lives of four officers.
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"The job is the priority. As a police officer, I am sworn to protect the community," he told 9 News Melbourne.
"I've been to two child drownings, I was at the Mangalore plane crashes where four people unfortunately lost their lives and I have travelled at speed to all of those jobs."
"I am perplexed at the charges that have been levelled against me."
Prosecutors allege the 47-year-old told his colleague in the car he "didn't care" how fast he was going.
Beecroft says his court case is already having an impact on other police, firefighters and paramedics out on the road.
"They have slowed down significantly… Now they are in a position of not knowing, how fast, is fast?" he said.
Beecroft has also vowed to take to the stand and fight his charges.
"I will obviously fight as hard as I can to get a good outcome," he said.
