By Abbey Cannan
A young man has died while trying to evade police who were on the look out for a motorcycle rider driving erratically around Noosa.
A 26-year-old Urangan man crashed into a pole along Eenie Creek Road at around 7.15pm on Sunday and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police had been in the Noosa area patrolling for a motorcycle following several reports of a rider driving dangerously.
Superintendent Craig Hawkins said the motorcycle rider was seen in the distance by a police officer and after they proceeded further down that road, they found the rider had crashed.
“The officer rendered first aid to the man but unfortunately his life could not be saved,“ he said.
Supt Hawkins said it was a sad occasion for his family.
“This year we’ve seen a number of crashes on our roads,“ he said.
“Motorcycle riders have been by far, in a way, the majority of those deaths. Behaviours and activities of hooning nature can lead to people’s lives being lost and the important message here is that people should really be considering their safety and the safety of other road users when on the roads.“
Hawkins said driver’s behaviours had changed in recent times, particularly during the Covid pandemic.
“Motorcycle riding is a risky business at any time of the year, but even more so at the moment. We’re seeing motorcycle riders seem to be at more risk and their lives have been by far the majority of lives that we have lost on the roads for the last 12 months.“
Supt Hawkins said the motorcycle would be examined for any defects.
“Early indictions suggest that he’s lost control of the motorcycle and has gone on to the wrong side of the road and then hit the barrier, which has obviously caused significant injuries to him,“ he said.
“We don’t know where he was going. The motorcycle was unregistered, whether that was acting on the mind of the rider or not, we can’t say.“
Hawkins said it was a difficult situation for the officers to be exposed to.
“For any emergency services to turn up to those things, it’s always difficult and the best we can do is offer them they support they need,“ he said.
The crash is being investigated by the Forensic Crash Unit with police appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash, or has any information in relation to the riding of a motorcycle in the area around the time of the crash, or anyone with relevant dashcam vision, to contact them.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.
