Brit faces 20 years in prison over e-scooter death while backpacking
Alicia Kemp, a 24-year-old British backpacker, has been charged in Australia with death by dangerous driving while under the influence after an e-scooter crash that killed Thanh Phan, 51.
The incident occurred in Perth when Kemp allegedly hit Phan from behind on an e-scooter; Phan later died from head injuries.
Prosecutors allege Kemp had a blood alcohol level of 0.158 and was driving the e-scooter at 25km/h at the time of the crash.
Kemp faces a potential 20-year prison sentence if convicted and has been denied bail due to flight risk; her friend, who was a passenger on the e-scooter, also sustained injuries.
Following the incident, Perth is reviewing e-scooter safety regulations, and Western Australia has launched a crackdown on e-scooters with increased education and compliance measures.
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Kemp had been out drinking on the afternoon of May 31 from 2.30pm with a friend, and was kicked out of a bar for being too drunk. Later that evening, she hired an e-scooter at around 8.30pm. Police told an Australian court court that she was the main driver, while her friend was a passenger. Prosecutors said that Kemp was driving in an 'inexplicably dangerous' manner, which as caught on CCTV, and that pedestrians were forced to 'take evasive action' as she rode down Murray Street in Perth's Central Business District. She had a blood alcohol level of 0.158 as she was riding. Western Australian law states that electric vehicle drivers must have a level lower than 0.05 to legally drive. Kemp was also travelling at 15mph as 'she careered into his back', prosecutors said, adding that this caused Phan to fall forward and hit his head. Tragically, he suffered 'a significant brain bleed', while Kemp's friend, a 26-year-old who had not yet been identified, was thrown from the scooter and suffered a fractured skull and broken nose. Phan was taken to the Royal Perth Hospital for surgery, where he died. It comes after the head of of trauma services at the Royal Perth Hospital told ABC news that he and his team were witnessing an increase in the numbers of e-scooter related incidents. 'Our patients are experiencing lifetime consequences or not even surviving from injuries sustained on an e-scooter,' Dieter Weber said. He added that allowing motorised vehicles to share footpaths with pedestrians is fundamentally unsafe. While not speaking on Mr Phan's death directly, Weber urged that e-scooter incidents are avoidable if riders are wearing helmets and not under the influence of drugs ot alcohol. 'The thing that sticks out to me as a surgeon is sadly the number of families that we've seen at the bedside in tears with their loved ones tragically injured from these e-scooters,' he said. The professor said the extent of the injuries can be so terrible that it is not always possible for patients to return to a normal life. 'We're seeing the whole range of injuries from broken bones, significant internal organ injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, injuries that have not just immediate impact but then lasting lifelong effects on patients. 'It's this enormous group of patients that we've had to treat from injuries that are preventable,' he said. Weber welcomed Perth's decision to suspend the hiring of e-scooters but warned that the full range of potential consequences for riding these vehicles has not yet been fully understood. Earlier in the week, WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti acknowledged: 'We need to increase our compliance.' WA Police announced on Wednesday they would be undertaking 'state-wide targeted enforcement operations' in response to a number of incidents, including Mr Phan's death. A spokesperson said they would be focusing on speeding, mobile phone use, riding under the influence, use of helmets, passenger limits and underage riders. Police and Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby said he was open to making any change 'that will make people safer'. 'I want to consult with local government, and the operators about geo-fencing these devices so they can't be used in certain areas, at certain times, at certain speeds,' he told ABC Radio Perth. Kemp's anxious parents have now flown to Australia to be with their daughter who is charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, the Times reported. It comes shortly after the young backpacker was told that she could not be bailed out as she posed too great a flight risk. Kemp, who could face up to 20 years in prison, had been travelling through southeast Asia and Australia with her boyfriend on a four-month tourist visa. At the time of the tragic crash, she had been working at Durty Nelly's Irish pub. Describing herself on Linkedin as a digital nomad, Kemp had said that she was taking a 'career break' in order to travel and had also taken to social media platform TikTok to document the experience. Kemp added to the social media platform: 'I aim to immerse myself within the different cultures Asia has to offer. 'This includes working as an English second language teacher in Vietnam, in both public and private schools.' In a heartbreaking statement given following Phan's death, his family paid tribute to a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother, and dear friend'. The statement added: 'We received the heartbreaking news that Thanh passed away as a result of his injuries. 'We ask that the media respect the privacy of Thanh's family as they grieve their loss. 'The family has no other comment to make on the issue at this time.' The magistrate said that the significant prospect of a long prison sentence if Kemp were to be convicted means that there was a risk of her 'not returning to court to answer the charges'. They added: 'The temptation might be that (she) won't return. I can't manage that risk'. Kemp, who remains in custody, is set to appear before the court again on July 15.
