Australian woman Sophia Martini dies in scooter crash in Bali

SOPHIA Martini died after falling off her boyfriend’s scooter in Bali this week — days before they were due to return to Australia for their own wedding.

Sophia Martini has died after crashing a scooter in Bali.

A YOUNG Queensland woman became the fourth Australian to die from a scooter accident in Bali this year after a horrific crash on Monday morning.

Sophia Martini, 27, was riding on the back of her boyfriend Steele Nugent’s scooter after midnight when it crashed in Kuta, the busiest region of the Indonesian island.

Steele Nugent, the boyfriend of Sophia Martini.

Ms Martini suffered horrific leg injuries from the crash and despite being rushed to Denpasaar Hospital, major blood loss caused her to die on arrival.

Sophia’s mother has since written an impassioned letter to the authorities in Bali, asking for Mr Nugent not to be criminally charged, revealing they were set to wed on their return to Australia.

In a cruel twist of fate, the couple were in Bali to attend a friend’s wedding. They were also wearing helmets.

Mr Nugent, 28, was not badly injured in the crash and was immediately detained by local police for questioning.

The Magnetic Island man has since been released and has returned to Australia as the investigation continues.

“The girl’s mother doesn’t want to make a case because both of them were about to get married,” said Rahmawaty Ismail, the chief of Traffic Police in Denpasar.

“However, the suspect promised to return if the police call for a further investigation.”

Friends and regulars at the bank Ms Martini worked at have expressed how much the popular young woman will be missed.

An emotional Facebook post from friend Trina Hurst described Ms Martini as an “angel”.

“Another Angel has found her wings. Two shining eyes at rest, God broke to us he only takes the best,” she wrote.

“You were here one moment, then you were gone. It will be the little things I remember ... Our little island just won’t be the same.”

Another friend described Sophia as “one o those few you will meet in your life that had the gift of no matter how your day was gong, or how bad things were in your lief, she only had to look at you and smile and you would all of a sudden find yourself smiling as well.”

“Such sad news, RIP beautiful Sophie,” another friend wrote.

Ms Martini has become the fourth person to die from a scooter crash in Bali in the last year.

The third was 26-year-old Sydney woman Ella Knights, who was found by a passer-by lying face down in a gutter in Canggu, in the north Kuta, on April 27.

Days before she died, Ms Knights uploaded a video to social media of her riding on the back of a scooter on the popular island.

The post read “Sorry mum #nohelmet”.

Australian woman Ella Knights died after crashing her scooter in Bali.

Scrapes, bruises and sometimes deaths due to bikes in Bali are sadly not unheard of.

The Department of Foreign Affairs’ SmartTraveller website specifically warns of the dangers of using motorbikes in Bali.

“A number of foreigners, including Australians, have been killed or seriously injured in motorcycle accidents in tourist areas, particularly in Bali,” the site states.

“Motorcycle riders and their passengers must wear a correctly fastened and approved helmet.”

The tragic deaths of Ms Martini and Ms Knights come a year after 16-year-old Australian Lochie Connaughton died when he lost control of a scooter in Kuta while driving out of the basement of the Marriot’s Stone Hotel on April 28, 2016.

A month later Victorian firefighter Adrian Newton, 42, was killed when police said his motorbike collided with a garbage truck on May 17 in Kuta.