Bike Boy WikiPEDIA Guide

---

On the 7th of January 2013, at around 1:05pm, 15-year-old Ryan Meuleman was critically injured when he was struck by a Ford Territory SUV driven by either then-Opposition Leader (later Victorian Premier) Daniel Andrews, or his wife  Catherine Andrews, in Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula.

Ryan suffered severe injuries, including a punctured lung, broken ribs, and the loss of 90% of his spleen, requiring airlift to the Royal Children's Hospital. 

What began as a serious but seemingly routine road accident has become one of Australia’s longest-running political and legal controversies, fuelled by allegations of police procedural failures, political interference, conflicting accounts, freedom-of-information (FOI) revelations, expert analyses, parliamentary scrutiny, a criminal investigation and ongoing civil litigation.

The incident occurred near the intersection of Melbourne Road and Ridley Street on the Mornington Peninsula, a popular beachside area. The Andrews family was returning from an outing near Portsea.  Meuleman was cycling on a bike path, and was crossing Ridley Street when the Andrews family's SUV collided with him around 1:05 p.m.

A neighbour called emergency services almost 7 minutes after the crash. Daniel Andrews also called emergency services. Phone records recovered years later revealed Andrews' call was made after the neighbour.

Victoria Police's handling drew immediate criticism. A nearby highway patrol was notified of the crash and then turned away, despite being just minutes from the crash scene. 

The attending officers, Senior Constable Shayna Sage and Constable Daniel Ward arrived minutes later than the unit they turned away.  

Sage and Ward conducted a minimal investigation, allowing the damaged, unroadworthy SUV — which had a shattered windscreen, a punctured tyre and front-end damage — to be driven away by Daniel Andrews, destroying potential forensic evidence.

They failed to conduct breath tests on the two adult occupants of the SUV — and then lied saying they had done so. No photographs or measurements were taken of the crash scene. Police did not interview witnesses and did not call the Major Collision Investigation Unit. 

These lapses violated standard protocols for serious injury crashes. FOI documents later revealed poor record-keeping falsified evidence, and inadequate scene preservation. The Meuleman family alleged evidence tampering or withholding, claims echoed in a 2024 expert review describing the investigation as "deeply flawed" and "contrary to available evidence."

In 2017, amid growing scrutiny, Sage and Ward were investigated by the Police Professional Standards Command. They received admonishments but were cleared of misconduct; then-Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton described the errors as procedural but not intentional. 

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) also reviewed the police response, finding no deliberate impropriety but noting several systemic issues. Both officers were later promoted following the investigation.

Accounts of the crash diverge sharply. Daniel Andrews has maintained that the SUV had stopped and was turning right into Ridley Street when Meuleman's bike struck the driver's side at speed in a "T-bone" collision. 

A 2013 police statement from Andrews reiterated: "The cyclist hit our vehicle." Catherine Andrews echoed this in later comments. Conversely, Meuleman and his family assert the SUV struck him head-on while traveling 40–60 km/h on the wrong side of the road, cutting the corner. This is supported by:

• A contemporaneous Ambulance Victoria paramedic report noting the vehicle "struck" Meuleman at that speed.

• A 2024 expert review by former Assistant Commissioner Dr. Raymond Shuey, who analysed photos, statements, and physics. Shuey concluded the SUV likely made a "sweep turn at speed" into Ridley Street, on the incorrect side, causing a front-on impact. He cited windscreen damage and front-corner bodywork as inconsistent with a side-on hit, and accused police of an "overt cover-up" to protect Andrews.

• 2022 FOI-released police photos (taken later at the Andrews' rented holiday house) showing front-end damage ahead of the driver's side wheel, contradicting a pure side impact.

Andrews dismissed the Shuey report and related coverage as "conspiracy theories dressed up as journalism." His comments triggered a defamation case against him and wife Catherine to be heard in the Federal Court of Australia in February 2026.

A neighbour called 000 at approximately 1:06 p.m. Andrews also called 000, but he was the second caller, almost 7 minutes after the crash, a delay the family claims endangered Ryan. In the 2024-released 000 call audio, Andrews tells the operator: "We turned right, and he's come flying through on the bike path, and we've hit him. 

The phrasing — “we’ve hit him” — is supported by the only two photos taken of the crash vehicle, which show front-end impact damage, not a side-on t-bone — a discrepancy that severely weakens Mr Andrews’ version of events. The full recording, obtained via FOI, has intensified calls for a criminal reinvestigation.

Initial reporting of the incident was limited, but coverage increased during Daniel Andrews’ premiership (2014–2023), aided by freedom-of-information (FOI) disclosures and new reporting by the ABC, The Age, the Herald Sun, and The Guardian. These reports highlighted matters such as the roadside breath-test failure and the existence of undisclosed police documents.

The scandal gained national prominence in 2024 when 9 News and A Current Affair reporter Seb Costello published the emergency-call audio from the day of the crash, in which Daniel Andrews is heard telling the operator, “… and we’ve hit him.”

The issue entered Victorian politics in 2017 via IBAC references. Libertarian MP David Limbrick reviewed the 000 call in October 2024, publicly noting Andrews' admission of hitting the cyclist. In August 2025, Liberal MLC Moira Deeming raised the matter in the Legislative Council under privilege, citing a call Mr Andrews made to staffer Chris O’Riley to arrange a replacement for the smashed windscreen. She noted that Andrews made this call while Ryan, who was critically injured, was still waiting to be transported to hospital. 

 A GoFundMe campaign raised funds for legal, expert, and administrative costs. Donors consist primarily of ordinary Australians. The campaign has consistently emphasised its non-political focus on justice for Ryan Meuleman.  Supporters can contribute to the fundraiser here.

The Meulemans engaged law firm Slater & Gordon shortly after the crash, securing a $100,000 settlement from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) in 2013—later reported as $80,000 after fees. The firm, once chaired by Andrews ally James MacKenzie, faced accusations of rushing the deal without full investigation. In 2022, Meuleman sued them for negligence, alleging failure to pursue Andrews' liability. Mediation failed in December 2024 but was settled in May 2025 — in favour of Ryan, by way of a confidential financial payment. 

On 4 November 2025, Meuleman filed Ryan Luke Meuleman v Daniel Michael Andrews & Anor (VID1454/2025) in the Federal Court of Australia (Victoria Registry), alleging defamation from the Andrews' 2024–2025 media statements blaming Meuleman for the crash and labelling scrutiny as "conspiracy theories."  The trial is set to begin February 2026 before Justice Geoffrey Owen. No suppression orders apply, and the case is expected to be livestreamed.

In 2024/2025, the Meuleman family launched a public campaign calling for criminal charges to be considered against Daniel and Catherine Andrews, citing an expert report by Dr Raymond Shuey, new witness statements, and material obtained by investigators. The Meuleman investigators intend to present the new evidence to Chief Commissioner Mike Bush in 2026 and encourage police to consider whether charges should be laid against Daniel and Catherine Andrews.

The Bike Boy project operates across a range of digital and independent social media platforms, podcasts, online publications and the project’s dedicated website. These platforms provide ongoing updates on the case, including investigative material, legal developments, public statements, archival documents and announcements. The project’s online presence has contributed to increased public awareness and engagement, offering accessible, regularly updated information for audiences in Australia and internationally.

BikeBoy.com.au serves as a central repository for information, including timelines, expert reports, FOI disclosures, media archives, legal updates and links to official fundraising channels. The website also hosts the Bike Boy Wiki/Grokipedia, a continuously updated reference section consolidating verified material for public access.

The project maintains active accounts on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. These platforms are used to share case updates, release documents, provide commentary, publicise podcast episodes and direct users to official resources. The accounts collectively reach a broad audience and have become central to public engagement with the case.

 Bike Boy – True Crime podcast is a six-part investigative series released in January 2026. The podcast features interviews with investigators, legal representatives, subject-matter experts, witnesses, and members of the Meuleman family. It provides a structured overview of major developments, evidence, and unresolved questions surrounding the 2013 crash and subsequent proceedings.

The podcast trailer attracted an audience of a quarter of a million shortly after its release in November 2026. Follow 'Bike Boy – The True Crime Podcast' on all podcast platforms: