Secret police file and pictures shed new light on Dan Andrews family crash

Secret police documents on the Daniel Andrews family car crash reveal the extent of the damage to the SUV and raise new issues regarding Victoria Police’s handling.

Secret police documents on the 2013 collision between Daniel and Catherine Andrews’ Ford Territory and bike rider Ryan Meuleman reveal the extent of the damage to the SUV – but the pictures have never been released to the young man or his family.

The images and other issues regarding Victoria Police’s handling of the crash, which have emerged in the documents obtained by the Herald Sun, have prompted calls from a former Victorian crown prosecutor for a fresh review of the case.

It comes as cyclist Ryan and his family have been told they must wait at least three weeks for further key files they are pursuing.

In his first interview about the crash, Ryan last week claimed he had been denied justice, saying the Andrews’ car was “speeding” and “seemed to come out of nowhere” when he was struck as he rode his bicycle across Ridley St in Blairgowrie on January 7.

Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife, Catherine, were involved in a cyclist crash. Picture: David Crosling

Ryan Meuleman stands on the spot where he was hit while riding his bike. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

But the Premier has always claimed it was Ryan who was travelling too fast, saying in 2017: “He was moving at speed, he absolutely T-boned the car, hit it at such force he was literally inside the car.”

Crash investigation pictures obtained by the Herald Sun show the windscreen on the driver’s side of the SUV was smashed and heavily depressed, which the Meulemans say indicates the car must have hit their son.

Damage to the front right panel and bonnet was also inflicted in the collision with then 15-year-old Ryan but the vehicle was never taken for forensic analysis.

The images, which had not been included in documents released to the Meulemans under Freedom of Information laws, have infuriated the family.

Premier Daniel Andrews Ford territory car after the 2013 crash with Ryan Meuleman. Picture: Supplied

The smashed window.

A signficant dent on a front panel.

After reviewing the extensive files, Ryan’s father Peter Meuleman said: “This is the first time I’ve seen these photos.

“Why didn’t the police give them to us when we asked for the crash report?

“At the Premier’s press conference (in 2017) he said my son had run into his car. Clearly, these photos show his car hit my son.

“There was no T-bone to the side of the car. We are seriously shocked by the lies that we have been told about the circumstances of the crash.”

The full police incident report, investigation notes, never-before-seen photographs and witness statements relating to the horror smash, which resulted in Ryan losing 90 per cent of his spleen, have been obtained by the Herald Sun.

Extensive documents reveal Ryan’s father was not provided with all the available information about the incident when details were released to him under Freedom of Information laws last year.

The police file further confirms that Ryan was never formally interviewed by crash investigators, even though a Register of Complaints, Serious Incidents and Discipline report show his father had raised concerns three days after the crash that the police probe might be biased.

Both Mr Andrews and his wife, who was driving the car, were formally interviewed almost a month following the crash – long after Mr Meuleman had flagged his concerns.

In his statement to police signed on February 5, 2013 at Springvale police station, Mr Andrews declared: “I want to make it clear – the cyclist hit our vehicle”.

Ms Andrews had told police in her sworn statement six days earlier: “I turned from Melbourne Rd after coming to a complete stop … just after we turned into Ridley St our car was struck heavily on the front driver’s side by a cyclist who it seems was attempting to cross Ridley St at speed from the bike path”.

Speaking with media on Tuesday, the premier says he stands by his police statement.

“Of course I do,” he said.

“We’ve been though that in absolutely great detail for 10 years.

“That is accurate.

“Details have gone through this at great length over a decade, so I think I’ve probably answered your question.”

The Premier was unwilling to go into further detail about the incident, and didn’t say whether he believed the case needed to be investigated one final time.

“I’ve gone into these issues. For 10 years now, I’ve spoken about it, Cath has spoken about it,” he said.

“These matters were reviewed.

“I don’t really have anything to add.”

Mr Andrews said it was a matter for Victoria Police to explain why all documents and photos relating to the crash weren’t given to the victim’s family.

Two police diagrams of the crash also show the bicycle path running virtually alongside Melbourne Rd, but it is more than 15m further down the side road from the intersection where Mrs Andrews turned right.

The family’s lawyer, George Defteros, has engaged senior barrister John Ribbands, while former Victorian crown prosecutor James Bowen has been brought in as a consultant.

Mr Bowen said on Monday: “Normal police investigative procedure would require impounding of the Andrews’ Ford Territory and removal of it on the back of a truck for expert forensic examination in Melbourne. This did not happen.

“The alleged driver of the Ford Territory should have been breath-tested as required by regulation. This did not happen; and again we are entitled to speculate that this normal procedure probably did not happen because a very senior politician was involved.

“No customary examination of the damaged Ford Territory was ever undertaken by experts in motor traffic collisions.

“That serious failure makes reconstructing the circumstances of the collision far more difficult and the omission appears to have been deliberate.”

Mr Bowen said the fact that no formal statement had ever been taken from a “gravely injured bicycle rider” was “an extraordinary departure from normal police investigative procedure”.

“These extraordinary failures on the part of the Victorian police cannot be blamed upon the junior police who were left unsupported at Blairgowrie by police command back in Melbourne,” he said.

“Further independent investigation of what appears to be a grave failure of the criminal justice system in Victoria is clearly justified.”  

It comes as major law firm Slater & Gordon – which acted for Ryan in the aftermath of the crash – has informed the Meulemans’ new legal team on Monday that it will be unable to hand over key documents relating to the incident until after this month’s state election.

Ryan Meuleman after the crash.

The law firm has told Mr Defteros it needs another three weeks and intends to spend that time preparing the file for handover, which will involve reviewing and removing internal privileged documents.

Ryan secured an $80,000 compensation payout from the Transport Accident Commission, but the family has raised concerns about the process, involving Slater & Gordon, during which he said he was warned he could never comment on the crash.

He suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs, internal bleeding in the accident and spent 11 days at The Royal Children’s Hospital.

After a subsequent fight with depression and substance abuse, Ryan broke his silence last week, condemning the then opposition leader for leaving the scene after calling triple-0.

Mr Andrews has said he needed to take his traumatised children to their nearby holiday rental home before returning.