Nurse recalls the moments she tried to save a Brisbane father after a ‘horrific’ crash

A nurse first on the scene did all she could to help scooter hit and run victim and friend Michael Warburton, even ripping his shirt off to check on his vitals. SEE THE VIDEO

A nurse who rushed to the aid of a Brisbane man who’d just been hit by an allegedly stolen car has revealed how she tried desperately to save him and the confronting scene she faced.

Abby Fryer, a critical care nurse, was at her Wynnum West home on Kianawah Rd when she heard the horrific sound of a crash before rushing out to find Michael Warburton — someone she had known for years — laying bloodied on the road.

“The sound was so loud and it was a pretty horrific and tragic scene to come out too,” she said.

“I was the first person to respond to the man and he wasn’t in great shape,” Mrs Fryer said.

“His leg was not in a good way, there was a lot of blood and I had to cut his shirt open, which I believed was a Penrith Panthers shirt but it wasn’t looking good.

Vance and Abby Fryer lived next door to were the man died, Abby is a critical care nurse and was one of the first on the scene. Picture: David Clark

“It was such a shocking and tragic crash and my thoughts just went out to his family.”

Mr Warburton, from Hemmant, was riding his Vespa motor scooter home from a social event Monday morning, when police will allege a 15-year-old Wynnum teen driving a stolen car crossed to the wrong side of the road and mowed him down in Wynnum West.

Abby and Vance Fryer with other locals hold a cleansing ceremony at the crash site after the death of Michael Warburton. Picture: David Clark

The boy, 15, and a girl, 16, allegedly ran from the car, leaving the man on the ground with critical injuries.

The 59-year-old father-of-three was rushed to the Princess Alexandra Hospital but in the afternoon from his injuries.

Michael Warburton, who was killed in an alleged hit and run at Wynnum West on September 26.

Mrs Fryer said she has known Mr Warburton for years but didn’t realise the man she tried to save was him until later.

She joined the chorus of local residents who paid tribute to the popular baysider.

“He is well-known and really popular around here,” she said.

“He always rides around on his scooter, we see him up at the Wynnum Plaza all the time.

“He worked with my husband for 10 years so when we realised it was him, it was so sad.

“There will be a lot of sad people after yesterday because he was a popular man”

Card and flower at the scene of the crash which killed Michael Warburton. Picture: David Clark

Her husband, Vance Fryer, who worked under Mr Warburton for a decade at Kerrys Ingredients said it was a devastating loss.

“I spoke to people at my old work and that said it was Warby, I said ‘are you sure’ and when they confirmed it I was just shocked,” he said.

“He was a very popular man at work as well and there’ll be a lot of people who’ll miss him.”

Mr and Mrs Fryer held a cleansing ceremony at the site this morning.

Originally published as Nurse recalls the moments she tried to save a Brisbane father after a ‘horrific’ crash