Dan Andrews and his wife have slammed a report by a former police commissioner as “appalling conspiracy theories” after it questioned his version of events over a car crash that seriously injured a teenage cyclist.
Mr Andrews was leader of the Labor Party and the state opposition when the SUV carrying him, his wife and three children collided with 15-year-old Ryan Meuleman near Blairgowrie on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula on January 7, 2013.
The former prime minister insisted his wife, who was driving at the time of the crash, had “come to a complete stop” and “turned right from a stationary position” moments before Meuleman collided broadside with the Ford Territory.
However, an explosive review, conducted by the state’s former Deputy Commissioner of Traffic Operations Dr Raymond Shuey, claimed the SUV hit the teen after “travelling at a high rate of speed” and on the wrong side of the road.
Police closed the case without filing charges and the officers were later cleared of any wrongdoing by the anti-corruption watchdog.
The 36-page review, commissioned by Meuleman’s lawyers as part of an ongoing court case, said the investigation was “deeply flawed” and that Andrews’ crash was covered up “to avoid implicating a political figure in a potentially fatal accident.”
Mr Andrews and his wife issued a joint statement in response to the report, which was first published by the Herald Sun on Tuesday.
The couple criticized the outlet for publishing “conspiracy theories disguised as journalism” and claimed they “did nothing wrong.”
Former Premier Dan Andrews and his wife have branded reports of a car crash between them that injured a teenage cyclist as “appalling conspiracy theories”.
“This purported report was commissioned by attorneys on behalf of their clients who are seeking money through the courts by suing their former attorneys,” the couple wrote.
‘We are not a party to this legal action. We have done nothing wrong. This matter has already been thoroughly and independently investigated and closed by Victoria Police and the integrity agencies.
“We will not dignify these appalling conspiracy theories by commenting further at this time.”
Mr. Meuleman, now an adult, is suing the law firm of Slater & Gordon, which represented him after the accident, for allegedly failing to act in his best interests when it negotiated an $80,000 compensation settlement with the Transportation Accident Commission.
The Supreme Court’s hearing on the damages case over the accident is scheduled to take place in May 2025.
The report could potentially be presented in court, but it is unclear whether the judge will give much weight to the findings since Dr. Shuey died in August, just days after completing the report, and can no longer be questioned.
In his report, Dr Shuey says Andrews’ SUV was unable to come to a complete stop before turning onto Ridley Street because of the distance Mr Meuleman was thrown from the car.
“Daniel and Catherine Andrews’ statements that their vehicle stopped on Melbourne Rd are not consistent with the aftermath of the impact, nor is (witness) Brad Morgan’s report of tyres screeching prior to impact,” Dr Shuey wrote.
‘The vehicle’s effective braking distance of 19.2 m after impact is indicative of a speed of 45 km/h before impact.
‘The version provided by Catherine and Daniel Andrews is considered improbable and implausible. The truth is still pending.
‘The vehicle was most likely performing a turn at high speed, cutting the corner and still on the wrong side of the road on Ridley Street, 27 metres from Melbourne Road, when the collision occurred.
“It was definitely not a low-speed vehicle impact.”
Ryan Meuleman was 15 years old and riding his bicycle when he was struck by the Andrews family’s SUV driven by Catherine Andrews on January 7, 2013.
Mr Meuleman was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries including a punctured lung, broken ribs, a ruptured spleen and internal bleeding.
Dr Shuey also questioned Victoria Police investigators, claiming they failed to demonstrate competent professional practice. as they failed to follow a “rudimentary examination” of the evidence, demonstrated by their “hasty and illogical conclusion.”
He stated that ‘The spread of a lie’ began when police recorded the driver’s name.
In a Traffic Incident System (TIS) report made by police hours after the crash, the driver’s name was given as ‘Catherine Louie Kesik’, Ms Andrews’ maiden name.
The report found the name was contrary to that recorded in inquest notes, statements in TAC reports and “contemporaneous notes” made by police.
He said the “irregularity” with Ms Andrews’ name would be “something of a head-scratcher” to supervisors, insurance companies and legal reviewers.
“In my view, this deception is part of a course of action and a component of an overt cover-up to avoid implicating a political figure in a potentially fatal accident,” Dr. Shuey wrote.
“The fact that supervisors and reviewers failed to identify this or seek an explanation is inexcusable.”
The review found that the police report lacked critical information, including photographs, measurements and professional interview techniques.
Dr. Shuey said the researchers failed to take into account the available evidence and called their conclusion “unfounded and unsupported.”
The report, commissioned by Meuleman’s lawyers as part of an ongoing case, said Andrews’ version of events was “improbable and implausible”. (Pictured: Ford Territory car after the crash)
He added that the “negligent approach” undermined the integrity of the investigation and also jeopardized the “pursuit of justice.”
Police also repeatedly refused to provide Meuleman’s family with details of the driver, even though it was their duty to do so.
Dr. Shuey also noted that officers did not conduct breathalyzer tests on those at the scene, which is a violation of standard operating procedures.
In December 2017, the Independent and Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission cleared the police of any wrongdoing.
Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia that a “thorough investigation” had been carried out and that their findings were consistent.
“As previously stated, Victoria Police conducted a thorough investigation into this matter, as did IBAC, and all findings were consistent,” Victoria Police said.
“We have no further comments to make on this matter.”
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