Wednesday, September 11, 2013




Qld. cyclist hit by car alleges "imaginary" police interview

The video starts off like any other typical workday ride.

A cyclist is riding along the road, glancing over his shoulder to check on other vehicles, when a white jeep flashes past.

Suddenly, the car's side mirror knocks him from his bike, sending him tumbling to the ground at high speed. As the camera comes to rest, you can hear the cyclist's screams of agony. His upper leg has been shattered.

This video is gaining traction on social media after being posted by the Brisbane cyclist who claims Queensland police fabricated his testimony on the official crash report, in the course of fining the driver of the car one demerit point for "following too closely".

It comes to light at a time when cycling advocacy groups are renewing a national campaign for a minimum passing distance law, following the death of cyclist Richard Pollett in similar circumstances.

Craig Cowled, 38, who lost 1.5 litres of blood while spending seven hours in surgery, remembers the events leading up to the incident clearly, including an early premonition of danger.
Brisbane cyclist Craig Cowled, whose leg was shattered when he was hit by a car.

Brisbane cyclist Craig Cowled, whose leg was shattered when he was hit by a car. Photo: Fairfax Media

"As I was approaching a set of lights ... a white car came very close to me," Mr Cowled said. "It unnerved me a little but sometimes you shrug off these close passes and move on."

Mr Cowled said he started off again, "really putting my head down", taking a legal position in the middle of the left lane and staying out of a turning lane while constantly doing "head checks" over his shoulder for following cars.

"It came as a real surprise to me when this [white] car moved into my field of vision and suddenly I was hit. The bike went out from underneath and I slammed down onto the road."
A detail from an X-ray following surgery to repair Mr Cowled's shattered femur.

A detail from an X-ray following surgery to repair Mr Cowled's shattered femur.

Although he was in tremendous pain at the time of the incident, he clearly recalls passers-by creating a safe space around him and the speedy arrival of an ambulance. The police arrived and took a statement from the driver of the vehicle that had hit him, but Mr Cowled says he was rushed to hospital without speaking to them.

"I had a compound fracture right through my femur - the thigh bone, the biggest bone in your body - it was fractured clean through," he says.

He praised the "amazing" skills of the medical staff at the Royal Brisbane Hospital who inserted a titanium rod through the length of the bone, and reattached his leg to his hip joint.

While he was in hospital, a police officer visited but he was in treatment. He was later told the officer had merely come to tell him the location of his bicycle, which had been damaged in the crash.

When he was released from hospital almost a week later, Mr Cowled called police to give a statement and show them his video footage of the incident.

In a letter he delivered on Friday to the office of the Queensland Commissioner of Police, Ian Stewart, Mr Cowled details what happened next.

After leaving several messages and getting no reply, he eventually made contact.

"The officer advised me that I was not required to make a statement as the matter had been finalised," he writes. "I was very surprised and asked several times, why not?"

Mr Cowled said he was told that the driver been charged with a traffic offence. The officer would not tell him what the charge was, but told him that he should be happy that police had found 100 per cent in his favour, which would help to facilitate his personal injury claim.

A few weeks later Mr Cowled received a copy of the police report via his solicitor.

He was amazed to find that a statement had been filled in on his behalf, in first person speech. Inaccuracies included an entry that he had been cycling for recreation - he was in fact en route to work. Much of the statement attributed to him contains the same information as the statement given by the motorist who hit him. It ends by saying: "I have been struck by a vehicle on my right. I have then hit the bitumen and was instantly in pain."

The driver’s statement in the report said he had seen the cyclist up ahead, and had noticed him when nearly overtaking him at the earlier intersection. The driver said he was "trying to go around [the cyclist] in the lane" and "his bike has clipped the car".

The report concludes that the driver of the vehicle "has seen a bicycle up ahead and attempted to overtake ... and not left enough space", thereby causing a collision. This was judged as requiring a fine of "follow too closely", with the recommendation that "no further action be taken".

"In all honesty, I feel I have been brushed aside on this issue," said Mr Cowled, a PhD candidate with three sons under the age of six. "It’s galling."

He has sought legal advice, and hopes that his letter to the Commissioner will spark an investigation into police handling of the matter.

Police told Fairfax Media on Monday afternoon the matter was the subject of an internal inquiry.

"The Queensland Police Service is currently making inquiries in relation to allegations that have been raised to the police handling of an investigation where a cyclist was injured on Kingsford Smith Drive," police said in a statement.

"Those allegations have been forwarded to the Ethical Standards Command and this matter is now the subject of an internal inquiry."

Mr Cowled has been told it may take a year for him to recover full mobility, and there is a chance he will need a hip replacement. Six weeks later, he is still taking strong medication to manage constant pain.

The incident has come at a time when cycling advocacy organisations are campaigning for states to adopt laws that enforce a minimum distance for cars passing bicycles.

Sean Sampson of the Amy Gillett Foundation, which is campaigning under the slogan "a metre matters", said: "This incident highlights the need for change to create a safer environment for bicycle riders, the type of behavioural and legislative change that can be delivered through the introduction of minimum passing distance laws."

After months of public hearings and requests for submissions, a government inquiry into cycling in Queensland was completed last week. It is due to deliver its findings on November 29.

The inquiry follows a court case over the death of Mr Pollett, a virtuoso violinist, who was run over by a truck while cycling on Brisbane's Moggill Road in September 2011. In May this year, a jury found the truck driver was not guilty of any offence under the available laws.

 http://www.smh.com.au/national/cyclist-hit-by-car-challenges-police-over-fine-video-evidence-20130906-2tb68.html

12 comments:

Mrs Accountable said...

The Investigative process of QPS is corrupt. The internal investigation process is similar especially when the intent is to achieve a forced transfer. No one top down is concerned about this. The investigators dismiss real evidence by making their own untested and undocumented statements that later are the only evidence the QPS bosses and even judiciary refer to. The maze created by the investigators as they incorrectly confuse statements, thoughts and actions in their summary denies anyone being investigated of anything faintly resembling a fair and honest hearing. My experiences of the system are that I would not trust any QPS officer again. If the case in question is even checked, depending on if anyone has targeted the officer who 'wrote his own impressions of the incident' who actually wrote false information, the officer will himself be untruthfully reported on, or absolutely nothing will be done. QPS are a law unto themselves protected by the government.

Unknown said...

Great post "Qld. cyclist hit by car alleges "imaginary" police interview"....! It's very useful one. Thanks- DHL , Send DHL , Counselling

Mrs Accountable said...

The flawed internal investigative process of QPS treats targeted officers and the public the same.

Whereas a police officer is protected when it is police against the public. This officer is looked after totally. Full union support, all costs paid, endless appeals at union costs, given full benefit of the doubt, their word is never doubted. (The Doomadgee case, Arndt, North Coast speed cop to name just a few).

When officer against public or targeted officer, it should be a concern to all that the integrity of an officer is not challenged or investigated to arrive at the truth of an incident, especially when several officers are involved or where a fatality has occurred.

The Deputy, QCAT member and the Coroner make statements 'it is noted' while they instantly dismiss that fact. They excuse evidence that was not investigated, by stating 'that it would have made no difference...' The decision makers dismissed the laziness or intention of failing to thoroughly investigate.'
Deputy, QCAT Member or Coroner instantly take the word of the police officer over and above the public or the targeted officer.

The legal team of QPS must treat it as a legal debate, while not realizing the responsibility they have to society to have the truth known.

It has been stated that QPS officers collude and lie to cover for each other.

Back to pre Fitzgerald times I believe, especially when we see the government and QPS intent on their agenda while they dismiss the emotional cost to families who experience a cover up of the truth.

Mrs Accountable said...

Why does the government protect dishonesty within the police investigators???

Unknown said...

Any moron can become a police officer...anyone,the service usually attracts people with low self esteem,pedos,rapists,drug dealers and the list goes on.There is no need to strip anyone naked as they have hand held xray devices however they do this for sexual gratification especially when watching thru security cameras while taping on their mobile phones for future get Riverhead,they must be charged with rape and these so called laws changed,these people are the governments gangs and very soon the people will hunt each one down and hand out the same treatment to them,the day has come...

Mrs Accountable said...

When we see the government with no concern about dishonesty within the internal investigative process of QPS, no concern at the "minor guidance" when police fabricate evidence, we have to think that we now have a police state with the government and QPS as bed fellows.

Anonymous said...

Sgt Greg Crockett of the Queensland Police is a racist. He likes to fasten hand cuffs
extremely tightly to offenders wrists so it cuts the blood supply to the hands. The pig later on denies it. All Sgt. Greg Crockett has to do is: suck the ESC dicks and he gets off scott-free.

It takes a nation of millions to hold me back!

Anonymous said...

You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward to your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
scrap cars toowoomba

Delight Car Removal said...

Great post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog and I am inspired! Extremely useful information specially the ultimate part :) I maintain such info much. I used to be seeking this particular information for a very lengthy time.
Thank you and good luck.
cash for unwanted cars caboolture

Hashtag Car Removal said...

Thanks for sharing. Wow, that was strange. I just wrote a really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn't show up. Grrrr... well, I'm not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
car wreckers sydney

North Coast Wreckers said...

Hi, I am really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossips and internet and this is actually irritating. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for keeping this web site, I'll be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
Townsville Car Wreckers

Cars Buyer said...

Thanks for sharing. We pay our customers instant cash up to $9,999 without any waiting time. It is our policy to not let customers wait for their money. We also provide free towing services, so customers save even more money when dealing with us. This strategy has been a great success with our customers in Queensland. Through this, we gained a lot of goodwill from our customers.
car for cash brisbane