Garth Leighton death: Coroner reveals what could have saved life

A Tasmanian coroner has released his report into the tragic motorcycle death of a beloved bus driver, as a doctor who treated the man at the scene reveals how his life may have been saved.

A beloved northern Tasmanian bus driver who lost control of his motorbike and drifted into the path of an oncoming four-wheel drive in January last year was initially conscious when treated by paramedics but suffered a cardiac arrest when loaded onto a rescue helicopter.

Tasmanian coroner Simon Cooper released his report into the circumstances surrounding the death of 58-year-old Metro bus driver Garth McDonald Leighton, known affectionately as ‘Gus on a Bus’, on Tuesday.

Mr McDonald was riding his motorcycle on Hollow Tree Rd, between Hamilton and Bothwell, in the early afternoon of January 4 last year, when he “attempted to negotiate a left hand curve” but drifted into the incorrect lane.

He was struck by an oncoming Nissan X-Trail hire car and thrown off his motorcycle into a roadside drain, Mr Cooper’s report said.

“Passing motorists stopped to help. Local police, volunteer ambulance officers and volunteer

firefighters also attended. The rescue helicopter was deployed,” Mr Cooper said.

“Initially conscious and able to converse, Mr Leighton was treated at the scene and transferred into the helicopter when it arrived.

“However, before the helicopter could take off, Mr Leighton suffered a cardiac arrest. He could not be resuscitated and died at the scene.”

Mr Leighton, who was riding with a “large group of friends and acquaintances”, “suffered numerous, massive injuries of his chest and abdomen,” forensic pathologist Dr Christopher Lawrence found.

No drugs or alcohol were present in Mr Leighton’s system, weather nor excessive speed were factors and Mr Leighton was an experienced motorcyclist.

A witness, Brian Hawkins, said Mr Leighton entered “the road curve too sharply... (stood) the motorcycle up to avoid running off the road and over correct(ed) before losing control”.

Mr Cooper agreed with that assessment.

While Mr Leighton’s injuries were “terrible”, in the opinion of Dr Henry Hancock, cited in the report, Mr Leighton may have survived had the volunteer ambulance officers “had IV access and IV fluid resuscitation package, and an airway resuscitation package”.

“Even if the drivers themselves are not qualified to use it, it would give considerable advantage should a qualified medical professional happen to be in attendance,” Dr Hancock, who administered aid to Mr Leighton at the scene, opined.

“It could have saved this man’s life.”

Ambulance Tasmania told Mr Cooper volunteer paramedics “only hold a first-aid level qualification... and are not able to safely operate or administer all the equipment and drugs available to qualified paramedics”.

As such, Mr Cooper recommended “Ambulance Tasmania consider providing all volunteer crewed ambulances with IV access and IV fluid resuscitation packages”.

“I further recommend consideration be given to additional training for volunteer ambulance officers, where appropriate, in the administration of IV fluids,” he said.