THE COVER-UP

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On January 7th, 2013, a government-owned Ford Territory SUV, driven either by former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews or his wife Catherine Kesik, struck a 15-year-old boy named Ryan Meuleman, nearly killing him. The couple maintain that Kesik was behind the wheel; however, police were unable to verify this claim after Mr. Andrews entered the crashed vehicle and drove it away before a proper inspection could be conducted.  

Ryan says he was struck by the front of the SUV on his left side while attempting to cross Ridley Street in Blairgowrie, a surf town on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Critically injured, Ryan was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital. He was incredibly lucky to survive, having lost 90% of his spleen, suffered broken ribs, and required several full blood transfusions—equivalent to losing all the blood in his body six times over. 

Both Daniel Andrews and Catherine Kesik falsely blamed Ryan for causing the crash. In their sworn statements to police both Andrews and Kesik claimed that Ryan had ridden into the side of the SUV and that is how he was injured. 

But in 2022, photos of the SUV from the crash surfaced, revealing no damage to the side where Ryan supposedly ran into it. Instead, the images clearly show damage to the front of the SUV—consistent with Ryan’s account that the vehicle slammed into him, throwing him onto the windscreen and over the back of the car. Nearly seven minutes after the crash, Daniel Andrews made a 000 call to report the incident, and the recording of that call exists.

Assistant Police Commissioner Brett Curran (left), Senior Constable Shayna Sage (centre), Senior Constable Daniel Ward (right)

Initially, a highway patrol unit with three officers was assigned to the crash. But they were inexplicably stood down by Constable Daniel Ward from South Rye Police Station, who falsely claimed he was closer to the scene. In reality, Ward and SC Shayna Sage didn’t leave the station for another six and a half minutes—while Ryan lay injured on a hot road near a dangerous intersection, with no police or emergency services in attendance.

When the officers finally arrived, they failed to inspect the vehicle to determine who was driving. Neither Daniel Andrews nor Catherine Kesik was breathalysed. Ignoring protocol, the officers allowed Andrews to drive the damaged, unroadworthy SUV away from the scene, despite its smashed windscreen.

Police did not call in the Major Crash Investigation Unit. No measurements or photographs were taken—evidence that could have shown the SUV was speeding and on the wrong side of the road when it hit Ryan, nearly killing him.

At the time of the crash, Daniel Andrews was the Victorian Opposition Leader. His Chief of Staff, Brett Curran, was a serving Victoria Police officer on leave.

Both Andrews and Curran have refused to say whether they spoke on the day of the crash—and have declined to hand over their phone records.

With the case against Slater and Gordon now settled in Ryan's favour, the family is shifting focus. Backed by former Victorian Chief Commissioner Kel Glare, they have enlisted several highly experienced former police officers to prepare criminal charges against Daniel Andrews and his wife, Catherine Kesik. These charges are intended to be formally presented to the new Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush, whom the family believes will take appropriate action.

If Chief Commissioner Bush fails to act, the family intend to bring private prosecutions against Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine Kesik. Ryan and his family remain committed to seeking justice, continuing to urge Victoria Police to re-open the investigation into the near-fatal crash.