Leathon John Ekert pleads guilty in Byron to negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm after horror Ocean Shores crash

A motorbike rider suffered shocking injuries due to a grave miscalculation by a Northern NSW driver. Here’s how it happened.

Leathon John Ekert has been convicted at Byron Bay Local Court for negligent driving on August 2. Picture: Savannah Pocock.

A motorcyclist suffered a serious brain injury, a deep cut to his head and a broken nose when his bike smashed into the rear end of a car making an illegal right-hand turn at the shops.

Ocean Shores man Leathon John Ekert pleaded guilty at Byron Bay Local Court on Monday to negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Ekert, 43, was driving a Toyota RAV4 downhill along Orana Rd towards the Yengarie Way intersection in Ocean Shores on August 2 at 6:30am, police documents state.

He spotted a motorcyclist riding a KTM travelling uphill on Orana Rd towards the intersection.

Ekert believed the motorbike was about 50 metres away and thought he had enough time to make a right-hand turn, the court heard.

He turned over double unbroken white lines and travelled into the path of the motorbike, causing the rider to smash into the rear window of his Toyota.

Orana Rd and Yengarie Way intersection, where the crash happened. Picture: Google

The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet but he still suffered “serious injuries including a significant forehead laceration, which was bleeding heavily,” police documents state.

Ekert pulled over on Yengarie Way Rd to help the rider, who was slumped over his motorbike and needed to be moved from the road.

Police and an ambulance arrived soon after and the rider was treated at the scene.

He was then taken to Gold Coast University Hospital for further medical treatment.

Ekert blew negative on a breath test and was visibly distressed as he was questioned by police.

“At the time I thought I had plenty of time to turn” he said.

“I tried to turn earlier but he was moving very very fast up the hill … I tried to move out of the way.”

Ekert was driving directly into the sun, police documents state.

Ekert faces Byron Bay Local Court. Picture: Savannah Pocock.

The rider suffered extensive injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage and a deep laceration to the forehead

He also suffered bilateral retrobulbar haematomas - blood collecting around the eye - as well as fractures to his head, spine, elbow, and kneecap, and various tissue injuries.

Magistrate Karen Stafford said the type of serious head injuries suffered can have a long-term impact on individuals.

“I’ve had family members and friends tell me about a person who sustained similar injuries which caused their personalities to completely change years later as a result,” she said.

Ms Stafford convicted Ekert and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.

He must also complete a community corrections order at Lismore with supervision.