The closest friend of Constable Mia Lay, who was killed last week when a police patrol car crashed into a tree at high speed in Sydney, has paid tribute to the young officer in a deeply emotional message.
Constable Lay, 20, died when the police vehicle she was travelling in struck a tree in Redfern at around 1.30am on Friday.
She was a passenger in a Volkswagen Tiguan driven by Constable Brandon Torrisi, 24. The officers had been responding to an urgent report of a stolen vehicle in Glebe.
In an Instagram post shared on Wednesday afternoon, Lay’s best friend Elka Summer said she would remember and treasure their friendship for the rest of her life.
“Beautiful, beautiful Mia, how much fun we’ve had together,” Ms Summer wrote.
“Last May I watched you throw your cap into the air as you graduated from the police academy and began a new chapter. I believe that was only the beginning of you truly falling in love with life.
“You were courageous and passionate, and the incredible woman you were has left behind an unfillable void.
“I’ll hold on tightly to our beautiful memories… I love you. Life is not fair.”
Elka Summer (left) has shared a heartfelt tribute to her best friend, Constable Mia Lay
Ms Summer said she watched Constable Lay at her 2025 attestation ceremony, a moment she believed marked when Mia “truly fell in love with life”
Police said Constable Lay died instantly in the crash, with the force of the impact tearing the Volkswagen apart after it struck the tree
Ms Summer accompanied her tribute with a series of photographs showing the friends celebrating Lay’s 2025 attestation ceremony, enjoying beach holidays, spending time with friends and sharing memories from their high school years.
The tribute was posted a day after Constable Lay’s father, Clem Lay, revealed that his daughter had been thinking about joining the NSW Police Force’s Dog Squad. She hoped to follow the career path of her aunt, who is a senior serving police officer.
Mr Lay said his daughter had been enjoying her career in the force when they last discussed her future. During that time, she had also met Dan Vasquez, an officer based in Sydney’s eastern suburbs whom she considered the “love of her life”.
“She’s always been a sporty child, blessed with athletic ability. She’s always happy, full of life,” Mr Lay said.
He described her as determined and strong-willed, recalling how she had recently insisted that he paint his son’s bedroom.
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“I had finished it the day before. I was going to call her and ask her to come over and see it — to tell her, ‘I’ve finally done it’… Then the next morning, a police officer came to my door with the devastating news,” he said.
“To tell you the truth, it still hasn’t really hit home. We’re all trying to come to terms with everything that’s happened.”
He added that he hoped no one would ultimately be considered “at fault” for the fatal crash.
Constable Lay’s father, Clem, said he hoped no one would be found “at fault” for the deadly crash
Ms Summer shared a carousel of images showing the special friendship she had with Mia
‘If the investigation is done correctly and in detail, that’s all I could ever ask,’ he told 9News.
‘I don’t know what to say about that speed. I just looked at pictures of the car and the shape of the car and thought, yeah, that makes sense.’
Mr Lay’s comments come after multiple police sources said the car was travelling at more than 150km/h when it hit a tree on Gibbons Street, killing the constable instantly.
As crash investigators attempt to piece together the cause of the collision, police have not ruled out charging Torrisi if he is found to have been speeding unnecessarily.
The NSW Police watchdog said it would monitor the force’s investigation into the crash to ‘ensure public confidence’.
A fundraiser set up in memory of Constable Lay has raised more than $28,000 for her family, with the money to be used to provide ongoing support for Mia’s siblings.
‘Most importantly, it will give Mia’s family the space to care for one another, to be there for each other and to grieve without the added stress of financial pressures or disrupted income,’ the organisers, who are friends of Constable Lay’s brother, wrote.
‘The Lay family are deeply loved by so many in our community. This is just one small way of showing them that we are here for them, now and in the months ahead, and that Mia will forever live on in our hearts.’
– READ MORE: The final shift of Constable Mia Lay: Patrol car was travelling over ‘150km/h’ before fatal crash
– READ MORE: Heartbroken dad of Constable Mia Lay sends message to driver as dramatic CCTV shows police car hurtling down Sydney street
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