‘Daniel Andrews in various press statements reconstructed versions clearly intended to place fault on the cyclist’

An expert review has painted a picture of the likely cause of the near-fatal collision and highlighted a major contradiction in Daniel Andrews’ version of events.

Daniel Andrews has always insisted in his evidence that Ryan Meuleman’s bike struck his family’s Ford Territory “at speed”.

“He absolutely T-boned the car, hit it at such force he was literally inside the car,” the former premier once declared of the 2013 Blairgowrie crash.

But a review of his statements to police reveals that Mr Andrews admitted, in his own words, that he actually had no way of knowing that was the case.

“The first I saw of him was when he smashed into the windscreen on the driver’s side,” he said in his sworn statement to police.

Premier Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine Andrews’ Ford Territory hit cyclist Ryan Meuleman. Picture: Alex Coppel

It’s a contradiction former assistant commissioner Dr Raymond Shuey hammers home in his review of the crash.

“Both statements cannot be true,” he asserts.

“Daniel Andrews in various press statements reconstructed versions clearly intended to place fault on the cyclist.”

Instead, Dr Shuey paints a very different picture of the likely cause of the near-fatal collision – a speeding car that cut the corner of Melbourne Road, smashing into Ryan on the wrong side of Ridley St – just 1.5m from the far edge of the right hand side of the roadway – 27 metres up from the intersection.

A re-enactment of the near-fatal 2013 car crash.

“It was definitely not a low-speed vehicle impact,” the 36-page review asserts.

“It was definitely not a high-speed bike impact against a slow speed vehicle – otherwise the flip motion of the cyclist would have been in a different and opposite direction to his actual trajectory.

“If the vehicle was travelling from a stationary start in Melbourne Road (as stated by Catherine and Daniel Andrews), 27 metres prior to impact, it would not have reached the resultant speed to cause the damage and injuries.

“Low speed impacts propel pedestrians and cyclists forward of impact. This impact was so severe, it flipped the cyclist … onto the bonnet, propulsion over the roof line and then sideways onto the roadway.”

The crash that left cyclist Ryan Meuleman in hospital was ‘definitely not a low-speed vehicle impact’, the review asserts.

Dr Shuey’s analysis also details why Ryan, who was riding his sister’s push bike with a mechanics bag full of tools on his back, could not have been travelling at speed.

“The track where the tool laden bike was being ridden was a gravel, sandy track not enabling any bike speed as well as there being a distinct lip to negotiate prior to crossing Ridley Street,” the review says.

The squeal of tyres in the seconds before the impact heard by local resident and witness Brad Morgan also pointed to the Andrews Ford Territory taking the corner at speed, the review asserts.

A review suggests the Ford Territory took the corner at speed.

From the available information, including the Andrews SUV stopping 19.2m after the point of impact, Dr Shuey concludes: “It is my opinion that the impact speed of the vehicle was in excess of 40kph and more likely to be in the range of 40kph to 50kph.

“The point of impact was approximately 1.5m onto the bitumen from the cyclist entry point where the road is 3.8m, placing the SUV still partially on the incorrect side of the road at that 27m point.

Ryan Meuleman was aged 15 at the time of the crash and was riding his sister’s push bike with a mechanics bag full of tools on his back.

“The forward momentum of the SUV carried the cyclist a further 5.7m … It was definitely not a slow speed crash, as the prime factor was vehicle speed.”

In April last year, the Herald Sun revealed an Ambulance Victoria report detailed how the Andrews’ SUV “struck” Ryan while “travelling at 40 to 60kph”.

Secret police photographs uncovered by the Herald Sun in November 2022 showed extensive damage to the front of the Andrews’ car and its windscreen.