Latest news with #motorbikeaccident
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Coroner finds police, paramedics not at fault in Karratha motorcycle chase death
A coroner has cleared police and paramedics of responsibility for a man's death after a police chase in Western Australia's Pilbara. Fifty-year-old Donald Ward died after coming off his motorbike on De Witt Road in Karratha in the early hours of March 4, 2023. Due to the possibility of police playing a role in his death, the coroner was obliged to investigate Mr Ward's death. The inquest before Coroner Michael Jenkin heard police officers had tried to conduct a traffic stop after Mr Ward appeared to exceed the speed limit. The inquest heard Mr Ward, who was under the influence of alcohol and cannabis, drove at speeds exceeding 180 kilometres per hour through Karratha's back streets. The chase was abandoned after police lost sight of the motorcycle. A short time later, Mr Ward was located in bushland with serious injuries. Officers began working to resuscitate him but had problems attaching and operating their defibrillator, likely due to one of the pads being placed "too low" on his flank. Efforts to resuscitate Mr Ward resumed after paramedics arrived at the scene, but he was unable to be revived. In findings published on Monday, Mr Jenkin concluded Mr Ward's decision to ride his motorcycle while intoxicated contributed to his death. Toxicological analysis also revealed he had a blood alcohol alcohol level of 0.186 per cent with tetrahydrocannabinol detected in his system. Mr Jenkin said given the circumstances, his death "occurred by way of accident" from multiple injuries. He also concluded the resuscitation efforts made by police officers were "timely and appropriate" and accepted evidence that the paramedic's decision to cease resuscitation was appropriate. "Don would still have suffered a hypoxic brain injury, meaning that his death was inevitable," Mr Jenkin found. An emergency medicine physician told the coroner the officer's placement of the defibrillator may have been difficult given Mr Ward's size, the fact he was sweating, and the available light at the location. Mr Jenkin strongly recommended WA Police ask its first aid training provider to emphasise the importance of the correct placement of defibrillator pads, especially for those who are obese. He added that police officers, career paramedics and volunteer paramedics in regional areas were required to respond to serious incidents without the same support as metropolitan areas. "I wish to again convey to Don's former partner, his family and his friends, on behalf of the court, my very sincere condolences for your terrible loss," Mr Jenkin said.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Nathan broke his spine in two places in a motorbike crash. He was rushed to hospital in extreme pain... but that's when the real horror began
A father-of-three claims he was left lying in his own waste for days after he broke his spine in two places during a horror motorbike accident. Nathan Buckland, 39, spent five days in Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) after crashing his motorbike in Girraween, a semi-rural area in Darwin's south, on July 13. On top of the incredible pain, the force of the impact caused him to soil himself. Embarrassed and unable to move, Mr Buckland called his wife, Sophie, for help. In the five days he spent in hospital, the landscaper claimed not one nurse offered to help him clean himself up, leaving him embarrassed and ashamed. 'When I crashed, I pooed. I was beating myself up the whole time I was in there but I could only move my head,' he said. 'I didn't want to admit it but I told the nurses I thought I'd pooed myself. 'No one helped.' Mr Buckland said he would feel ashamed every time the nurses came in to roll him over and revealed the dirty bedsheets. 'I was on the phone crying to my wife a lot. I was numb and couldn't control my bowels or bladder,' he said. 'There was one night Soph visited and I'd wet the bed. 'I didn't get to clean myself up until I was home on Thursday.' During his first few days at the hospital, Mr Buckland wasn't able to eat as he received no assistance to sit up. 'I was on so many painkillers, there were several times I didn't even realise my food was there. I would sometimes see someone come in with a cart but, from where I was lying on the bed, the most I could see was the bottom of the food tray,' he said. 'Then they would come in and ask if I had finished eating, I'd say no because I couldn't move and they'd take the food away.' Mr Buckland claimed he heard nurses discussing the hospital being 'full' and felt as though they were skipping important tasks to keep up with demand. In one case, Mr Buckland read a note on his chart claiming he'd denied a blood test. When he questioned the nurse, she apologised and said she had already 'done 100 blood tests' and was 'having a bad day'. RDH implemented a Code Yellow on July 8 after it was overwhelmed by a surge of patients requiring acute care for severe or urgent medical conditions. The hospital said a 'range of measures' had been implemented to ease pressure and improve patient flow, asking that visitors be 'kind to our staff'. The Code Yellow was lifted on July 14. Patients with spinal injuries typically undergo blood tests to detect any damage to their kidneys. Mr Buckland was not offered another blood test. Since returning home, he's suffered kidney pain and has scheduled an appointment with his GP to undergo further blood tests. In another instance, Mrs Buckland overheard a supervisor asking why her husband hadn't been offered a replacement dinner. Mr Buckland explained that he had accidentally spilled his dinner on the ground after he tried to use the food cart to pull himself into a sitting position. 'I felt so bad and I wanted to pick it up but I'd already hurt myself trying to sit up. They never brought me back any dinner. My wife later heard the nurse saying that I'd purposely pushed it on the floor,' he said. Mr Buckland hopes to bring attention to the capacity issues at RDH by sharing his experience at the hospital. 'I heard the nurses constantly talking about how all the beds were full. They're run off their feet. Still, what's going on at the moment isn't right,' he said. 'I'm out of the hospital now but there's plenty of people still there probably being treated the same way. We have a lot of Indigenous communities in the NT that don't use English as their first language. I couldn't understand a lot of the medical language - how are they going to ask for help?' While he recovers at home, Mrs Buckland is running their garden care business largely by herself. As they face ongoing physiotherapy costs, on top of a loss of income, a family friend has started a GoFundMe to help the family. A spokesman from the NT Health Department told Daily Mail Australia: 'NT Health is unable to provide comment on individuals due to patient confidentiality.' When asked if RDH was under investigation or experiencing ongoing capacity issues, the department gave the same response.
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Daily Mail
How a young motorbike rider's 'escape from reality' turned to tragedy in fatal police chase
An influencer has died after getting himself into a high-speed chase with police who thought he had no number plates. Bradley Wilder, 20, died on impact after losing control of his bike and falling off near Newcastle CBD, in NSW, on Saturday night. Police initially tried to intercept Mr Wilder on King Street in Hamilton at 7.30pm as his motorbike did not appear to have number plates. Instead of pulling over Mr Wilder sped off through a number of suburbs as police followed in close pursuit. Witnesses said they saw the motorbike travelling at a tremendous speed during the chase. Mr Wilder led police south along the Pacific Highway at Charlestown before he fatally hit a traffic pole five minutes into the chase and was declared dead at the scene. His cousin, Monique, said he was usually a 'safe rider' and could not figure out what would have prompted him to flee. 'Bradley was such a soft spoken, well-behaved and respectful young man towards absolutely everyone he crossed paths with,' she said. He told her that his work as a delivery driver, gym and riding his motorbike were his treasured escape from reality. She said her cousin bought his latest bike only two months ago. 'I have [sic] drove with him a few times he has ridden his bike since purchasing it. 'He has always been such a safe rider so for all this speculation and knowing him as the person he is it is definitely out of character for him. 'I'm so very heart broken, my baby cousin taken way too soon under such avoidable circumstances. 'One wrong mistake and it cost him his life, which he did not deserve at all.' Mr Wilder was also the sole carer for his ill father, Craig, who is expected to undergo a lung transplant in Sydney, after which Mr Wilder was supposed to be around to provide care. His family have since posted a number of tributes on social media remembering the 'soft spoken, well-behaved and respectful' man they knew. Police declared a critical incident following Mr Wilder's death. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Waddell could not confirm the speed but said Mr Wilder was 'definitely speeding'. Although police initially believed Mr Wilder's bike did not have any plates Assistant Commissioner Waddell said they were simply obscured. 'This is a tragic set of circumstances,' he said. The police officers who attended the scene were 'obviously traumatised', he added. A crime scene has since been established and a critical incident team has begun its investigation. The investigation will also be subject of an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and oversight by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Anyone who has dashcam footage or CCTV footage or the pursuit has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
BBC News
23-06-2025
- BBC News
Attempted murder charge after Aberdeen electric motorbike crash
A man has appeared in court charged with attempted murder after an electric motorbike rider was seriously injured in a crash in 22-year-old man was taken to hospital after his bike was involved in the crash with a car on Cattofield Place on Saturday condition was described as critical but Aktas, 28, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court charged with attempted murder and dangerous driving. He made no plea and was released on bail.
Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Telegraph
‘Drug dealer' cleared of murdering mother who was knocked off e-bike
An alleged drug dealer has been acquitted of murdering a mother-of-one who died after she was knocked off the back of an electric motorbike ridden by her boyfriend. Keaton Muldoon, 23, was accused of 'pursuing' Alana Armstrong, 25, and her boyfriend, Jordan Newton-Kay, before ramming the vehicle. Ms Armstrong died at the scene in Batley Lane, Pleasley, Derbyshire, while Mr Newton-Kay had his right leg amputated above the knee after the crash. Muldoon, of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving before his trial began in May. His sentencing date has not been fixed. But a jury at Derby Crown Court found him not guilty of murdering Ms Armstrong. He was also cleared of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to her boyfriend. Muldoon, who the court heard was a drug dealer, told the jury on Tuesday that he 'did not know' he had hit anyone while driving his Land Rover Discovery on Nov 26 last year, and thought he had overtaken Mr Newton-Kay's bike at a passing point. The prosecution alleged Muldoon 'pursued' the couple, and another electric bike ridden by a friend of Mr Newton-Kay after they stopped near the defendant's 4x4 at a lay-by. The defendant told the court he feared he would be robbed but did not 'chase' the Sur-Ron off-road bike for more than a mile from the lay-by in Sampsons Lane, Pleasley. Muldoon told the court he lied to police that his uncle had possession of the Land Rover at the time of the collision because he was 'scared' about the murder investigation. He told the jury earlier this week: 'My head was all over, I didn't know what to think. 'I knew I wasn't going to see my children for a bit. I just had a newborn baby. I promised I would always be there.'
