Draft:Bike Boy Scandal

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  • Comment: This is not written as an article for Wikipedia. You have written a newspaper article instead. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the incident, Wikipedia is not here to act as a campaign vehicle. Neutrality does not mean we have to record every aspect of a subject. It means we have to record what is said in multiple reliable secondary sources neutrally.
    Sections listing media coverage should never appear. Media coverage that passes WP:42 is to be used as reference material for the facts you state in the article.
    A rewrite is required for this to be accepted. Thus means a major exercise not just tidying up 🇵🇸‍🇺🇦 FiddleTimtrent FaddleTalk to me 🇺🇦‍🇵🇸 07:00, 25 September 2025 (UTC)



The Bike Boy Scandal refers to a 2013 incident in which 15-year-old Ryan Meuleman was injured in a collision with a vehicle driven by either Daniel Andrews, then Leader of the Opposition in Victoria, or his wife, Catherine (Andrews) Kesik.[1][2] The matter drew attention due to concerns about the police investigation, the absence of charges, and subsequent debate about possible political influence.[3][4] The incident and subsequent legal proceedings have continued to receive media coverage, Parliamentary debate[5] and discussion on social media.

Background and injuries

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On 7 January 2013, Ryan Meuleman was cycling near the Melbourne Road–Ridley Street intersection in Blairgowrie, Victoria, when he was struck by a Ford Territory sport utility vehicle driven by either Andrews or Kesik. Meuleman sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs, internal bleeding, a punctured lung, and the near-total loss of his spleen.[6] He was transported to hospital for urgent treatment.[7]

Police response

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Initial police response

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Police officers attended the scene but did not administer a breath test to Andrews or Kesik.[8] [9][10] No photographs of the crash site were taken and the Major Crash Investigation Unit was not called. The Meuleman family later stated that standard investigative procedures were not followed [3] and alleged evidence was mishandled or withheld. Victoria Police maintained that officers acted appropriately, although documents released later under freedom of information laws indicated lapses in record-keeping.[11]

Investigation of attending officers

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The two officers who first attended the crash, Senior Constable Shayna Sage and Leading Senior Constable Daniel Ward, were investigated by Professional Standards Command. Both were admonished but cleared of deliberate misconduct.[10] Then Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton stated that the officers had made errors but had not acted improperly.[9]

Vehicle removal

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The damaged SUV, which had a broken windscreen and other visible damage, was later driven from the scene by Andrews.[12][11] In a report prepared for the Meuleman family, former Assistant Commissioner Raymond Shuey observed that the vehicle had not undergone a full mechanical inspection before being removed.[13][14]

Disputed account of the crash

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Accounts of the collision

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Andrews stated that the SUV had come to a stop before turning into Ridley Street, when the bicycle struck the side of the vehicle.[15][16] Meuleman and his family disputed this version of events. Former Assistant Commissioner Raymond Shuey, engaged by the family, prepared a report concluding that the SUV struck Meuleman head-on at an estimated speed of 40–60 km/h.[13][14] A contemporaneous paramedic report also described impact damage consistent with this assessment.[17] Andrews rejected the claims and described related reporting as “conspiracy theories dressed up as journalism.”[18]

Emergency calls and witness statements

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Emergency call records indicate that a neighbour telephoned 000 shortly after the crash, with Andrews making his call several minutes later.[19] [17] [20] Andrews had previously stated that he called immediately. In the recorded emergency call, Andrews told the operator, “we’ve hit him.” [20][1][17]

Initial reporting of the incident in 2013 was limited to local and metropolitan outlets. Interest resurfaced periodically during Andrews’ term as Premier, particularly following freedom-of-information disclosures of police files and photographs showing damage to the vehicle.[11]

In March 2023, A Current Affair broadcast a segment including emergency call audio, call logs, and interviews with Meuleman’s father.[19] The program reported inconsistencies in Andrews’ account of when emergency services were contacted, and the broadcast was widely circulated on social media.

Parliamentary discussion

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Debate in 2025

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In August 2025, the matter was raised in the Victorian Parliament during debate on a petition concerning a proposed statue of Andrews.[21] During the debate, Moira Deeming MLC stated under parliamentary privilege that the Meuleman family had given her material indicating Andrews contacted a Labor staff member to arrange a replacement windscreen for the SUV before Meuleman was transported to hospital.[5]

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Civil claims

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Following the incident, the Meuleman family engaged Slater & Gordon to pursue compensation.[22] The case was settled for $100,000, from which legal fees were deducted. [2] In 2025, the family initiated a separate action against the firm alleging inadequate representation, which was resolved through an out-of-court settlement.[23]

Subsequent representation and actions

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The family later engaged additional legal representatives in civil and defamation matters. In 2024, they launched a campaign seeking criminal charges against Andrews and Kesik in connection with the crash.[24]

Fundraising efforts

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To cover litigation costs, the Meuleman family established crowdfunding campaigns. An earlier campaign raised about $266,000, which was used to pay legal and expert expenses.[25] A subsequent campaign was launched in 2024 to support the private prosecution effort, and as of 2025 it remained active.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b Drill, Stephen (2024-11-02). "Daniel Andrews' triple-0 call from car accident involving wife and Ryan Meuleman revealed". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  2. ^ a b "Cyclist calls in lawyers over 2013 crash with Daniel Andrews' car". 3AW Radio. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  3. ^ a b Mannix, Liam (2017-10-23). "Police disciplined for failure to breath test Premier's wife after 2013 car crash". The Age.
  4. ^ Warner, Michael (2024-09-17). "Review concludes police investigation was 'deeply flawed', 'unfounded' and 'contrary to the available evidence'". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  5. ^ a b "Legislative Council — 27 August 2025". Parliament of Victoria. 2025-08-27. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  6. ^ Kaila, Jon (2022-11-19). "Slater and Gordon chair James MacKenzie a 'confidant' of Daniel Andrews, earns several state government boards". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  7. ^ Dowsley, Anthony (2013-01-22). "Teenager heals after collision with a car driven by wife of State Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  8. ^ Kearsley, Jonathan (2017-10-23). "Police deny FOI request on crash involving Victorian Premier's wife". 9 News Melbourne. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  9. ^ a b "Catherine Andrews car accident: Anti-corruption watchdog to review police's handling of incident". ABC News. 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  10. ^ a b "Cops warned over missing Andrews test". SBS News. 2017-10-24. pp. SBSpolicewarned. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  11. ^ a b c Clarke, Mitchell (2022-11-08). "Secret police file and pictures shed new light on Dan Andrews family crash". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  12. ^ Hannaford, Patrick (2024-06-18). "Father of teen hit by Daniel Andrews family car demands former premier comply with Supreme Court order to produce phone records". Sky News Australia. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  13. ^ a b Hannaford, Patrick (2024-09-17). "Expert review into Daniel Andrews car crash that hospitalised teenage cyclist accuses Victoria Police of engaging in 'overt cover up' to protect ex-premier". Sky News Australia. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  14. ^ a b Shuey, Dr. Raymond (2024-08-11). "Expert Statement of Dr Raymond Shuey (Supreme Court)" (PDF). Community Advocacy Alliance. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  15. ^ Chalkley-Rhoden, Stephanie (2017-10-26). "Catherine Andrews car crash: Daniel Andrews moves to end 'shameful' rumours about Blairgowrie collision". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  16. ^ White, Alex (2017-10-26). "IBAC probe into Victoria Police's response to Catherine Andrews crash". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  17. ^ a b c "'We hit him': Dan Andrews' triple-0 call after teenager collides with then-Premier's car". News.Com.Au. 2024-11-02.
  18. ^ Warner, Michael (2025-04-23). "Cyclist injured in Blairgowrie crash with Daniel Andrews pockets secret out-of-court settlement". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  19. ^ a b A Current Affair (2024-11-03). What Daniel Andrews told triple zero after 2013 crash | A Current Affair. Retrieved 2025-09-26 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ a b Grant, Gemma (2024-11-01). "Listen to Daniel Andrews' triple-0 call moments after collision with cyclist". The Age. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  21. ^ White, Daniella (2025-08-28). "Liberal leader 'angry' at colleagues but won't condemn Daniel Andrews-Stalin comparison". The Age. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  22. ^ Warner, Michael (2022-11-04). "Cyclist hit by Daniel Andrews' car demands justice". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  23. ^ Beatty, Liam (2025-04-23). "Slater and Gordon reach settlement with Ryan Meuleman over 2013 crash with Dan Andrews' vehicle". News.Com.Au. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  24. ^ a b Kennedy, Euan (2025-09-11). "Liberal MP Moira Deeming donates to GoFundMe to try and prosecute Dan Andrews and wife". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  25. ^ Groch, Sherryn (2025-03-09). "Cyclist at centre of 'Bike Boy' campaign has no control over funds raised for his fight". The Age. Retrieved 2025-09-27.