“WE’VE HIT HIM” — THE 000 CALL AND DANIEL ANDREWS’ VERSION

---

For more than a decade, Daniel Andrews and his wife Catherine maintained that 15-year-old Ryan Meuleman “hit” their SUV.

However, in a 000 call obtained years later, Andrews can be heard stating, “…and we’ve hit him.” 

That admission conflicts with his long-held account and is supported by police photographs showing front-end damage to the SUV, including a smashed windscreen and broken side mirror — damage consistent with a vehicle striking a cyclist.

In a sworn statement, Daniel Andrews told police he called 000 immediately after the crash.

Call logs show the first call from Andrews was made more than six minutes later. In fact, a nearby resident contacted 000 earlier, with her call logged approximately six and a half minutes after the impact.

The timing directly conflicts with Andrews’ account and raises questions about what occurred during those unaccounted minutes.

In March 2025, A Current Affair aired audio from the 000 call in which Daniel Andrews appears to avoid direct questions from the operator before stating, “We’ve hit him.”

Andrews declined to comment when approached. The recorded admission, combined with his refusal to clarify it, has prompted renewed scrutiny of his version of events.

Police reports initially stated that Catherine Andrews was breathalysed at the scene.

It later emerged that no breath tests were conducted. After this discrepancy was exposed, police amended their reports. The failure to administer breath tests — and the subsequent alteration of records — remains unexplained.

Daniel Andrews has repeatedly stated the crash was thoroughly investigated.

Yet neither he nor his wife were ever formally interviewed or investigated, and critical investigative steps — including impounding the damaged SUV for forensic examination — were never taken.

A witness has stated that Daniel Andrews left the crash site to walk his three children back to their nearby holiday house, contradicting his claim that he remained at the scene directing traffic.

If correct, that account raises questions about whether Andrews stayed to render assistance during a medical emergency.

In his 000 call, Daniel Andrews claimed he couldn’t see if Ryan was bleeding. But another witness told 000 that Ryan was visibly bleeding through his t-shirt. This raises questions about whether Daniel Andrews was even at the crash scene when he was talking to the 000 operator. 

The government-issued SUV involved in the crash sustained a smashed windscreen, front-end damage, and a missing side mirror. Despite this, police did not impound or examine the vehicle and allowed Andrews to drive it away. The failure to secure the vehicle resulted in the permanent loss of potential forensic evidence.

Calling 000 takes seconds. Ryan recalls the couple arguing for what felt like several minutes. Yet neither Daniel nor Catherine Andrews contacted emergency services immediately, despite both having mobile phones.

When Andrews eventually called 000, the operator asked whether the earlier caller on the line was his wife. Andrews said she might be, but was unable to confirm this. 

That uncertainty contrasts with his later statement to police that he was only metres away from her at the time.

The delay and conflicting accounts raise questions about what occurred in the minutes after the crash — including whether Andrews was in a position to provide immediate assistance, and whether the priority during that time was responding to the injured teenager or clarifying what would later be reported.

Neither Daniel nor Catherine Andrews were ever formally investigated.

Instead, scrutiny fell on the attending officers, who failed to follow key procedures: no breath tests, no vehicle impoundment, and reports later amended after inconsistencies emerged.

Despite these failures, the officers reportedly faced no serious disciplinary consequences and were later promoted.