Student Richard Ramirez severely injured in Brisbane hit-and-run

Richard Ramirez had barely settled in Australia to study English when he was involved in a horrific hit-and-run accident on Brisbane’s southside that’s left him facing a year of physio.

Bryan and Richard Ramirez after the accident that left Richard with serious injuries. Picture: Liam Kidston

English students Richard Ramirez, his girlfriend Carolina and brother Bryan had barely arrived in Brisbane for the adventure of a lifetime when their dreams were shattered.

Richard and Bryan were riding home to their friend’s house in Greenslopes around 11pm, January 19, when their motorcycle got a flat tyre. Preparing to push the bike along the roadside 500m or so to their front door, Richard was struck by a still unidentified vehicle.

Bryan “vividly” remembers the white car stopping but then quickly driving off.

“All [Richard] remembers is he was flying through the air and he came around when he landed on the concrete, and he was already bleeding. Paramedics noted that he went flying about 30m,’’ translates Eduardo Cruz, solicitor with Corney and Lind, who is helping Richard navigate the health and legal systems.

“Bryan didn’t hear any car or anything like that, he’s just looked and his brother was over there and he thought, Oh my god, he’s dead,’’ translates Cruz.

The trio – civil engineers and chef respectively – had only arrived from Villavicencio, Columbia, 13 days earlier.

Richard Ramirez, 30, was left with serious injuries after a hit-and-run at Greenslopes. Picture: Liam Kidston

Richard, 30, spent 10 days in Princess Alexandra Hospital with cuts to his face, chipped teeth, dislocated left shoulder, fractured right leg and extensive muscle and nerve damage to the left, including the loss of 10cms of his sciatic nerve.

A long, jagged scar under his brace shows the extensive surgery needed. He walks with crutches, lives with pain and needs physiotherapy four days a week, for up to a year, to regain full use of his left leg and foot.

Further surgery could still be needed.

Carolina, 31, and Bryan, 26, provided around-the-clock care for Richard and it’s only in the past month or so they’ve all been able to return to their studies at Albright Institute.

Carolina and Bryan now have casual jobs, but Richard is unable to work.

Third party insurance has covered Richard’s medical bills and community efforts secured them a rented two-bedroom flat in Moorooka, but the trio have all but exhausted their savings.

Asked about the impact the accident has had on their lives, Richard pauses a moment then shrugs and laughs. “Too much. Broken dreams of learning another language … He felt quite down in the initial days because all he could do was stay in the bedroom, not being able to do anything, not even go to the bathroom, because he was immobilised,’’ says Cruz.

“They’ve only been to the beach once, they haven’t seen a kangaroo or held a koala. All of those quintessential Aussie things, they haven’t been able to do any of them yet.’’

Richard initially kept the news from his parents in Columbia, not wanting to worry them.

“They’re quite disappointed in the fact his journey has been derailed to some extent by the accident. Their son was looking for personal and professional improvement, that would set him up for a different life trajectory.’’

Richard says he was “amazed” and “overwhelmed” by the hospital care he received, with doctors using google translate and a nurse creating a chart of emoji symbols for things like pain, water, food, toilet to break down the language barrier.

Unaware of the extent of community appeals on his behalf until our visit, he becomes emotional.

“It’s a miracle. In Columbia they are used to having everything looked after by their immediate family. They’re very, very thankful for everything the community has done for them. Being so far away from their country, they’re very grateful people have helped them.”

Police are appealing for public assistance to identify the driver of a white hatchback reportedly driven dangerously westbound on Cornwall St, which stopped about 30m from the accident before turning left onto Logan Rd and fleeing the scene.

Contact Policelink on 131 444 or Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

To help Richard, Carolina and Bryan, please email Eduardo at [e-mail] or contact Desley at Brisbane Vintage and Collectables Op Shop via Facebook.