Editor injured in hit and run

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UPDATE, November 23, 2013: Operation successful, new plumbing installed, hardware on the way back to full capacity. Thanks a million for all your good wishes – Erwin.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Alice Springs News Online editor Erwin Chlanda was injured in a hit and run accident on Tuesday night. He was evacuated to Royal Adelaide Hospital yesterday where he will be operated on for a broken femur and pelvis.
 
Mr Chlanda was riding a motor scooter on the south Stuart Highway, heading towards the airport, at around 8.15 pm when a driver entering the highway from the John Blakeman bridge failed to give away. The scooter t-boned the car and Mr Chlanda was thrown over the handlebars and the bonnet of the car. The next thing he remembers is being on the ground being looked after by paramedics from St John Ambulance.
 
The excellent care and comfort he received from them, the staff at Alice Springs Hospital Emergency Department and the Royal Flying Doctor Service is deeply appreciated.
 
The driver of the car left the scene. The News understands that the police are investigating.
 
Mr Chlanda’s newshound instincts and typing fingers are uninjured. He looks forward to rejoining the fray soon. He has been greatly buoyed by well wishes received from readers who’ve heard about the accident on the grapevine. To them and to the bystanders who saw the accident and called police and ambulance, many thanks.

61 COMMENTS

  1. Very sad to hear this, on top of your other health problems last year, Erwin. Hope you make a quick and pain free recovery, and are still able to get away on your holiday.

  2. Get better soon, Erwin, and back to Alice, where you belong, sticking your nose deep into smelly business.

  3. Hey Erwin, truly sorry to hear of your mishap. How you make quick recovery. Keep pumping those calves.
    And if you need a good doctor ……..
    Limmie

  4. Hey thinking of you Erwin. Love the thumbs up – you truly are full to the brim with positiveness!! Murray and Bridge

  5. Newshound instincts and typing fingers ok! Major attributes saved. Get well & see you online soon Erwin.

  6. Get well soon Erwin. Not the same without your unique insights and commentary. Of course Kieran does a top job but you can’t leave it all up to her! best wishes

  7. Ouch! Sorry to hear that but pleased the fingers are in good working order. I dare say the experience will sharpen your outlook as well!

  8. Look forward to reading Erwin’s well informed reports concerning various NT patients receiving treatment in Adelaide đŸ™‚

  9. Hey Buddy
    Very shocked to get the news mate and hope you make a speedy recovery. You know that if I can help either you, Keiran or the ASN, I will. Just ask. Now, your front gate sign reads “broken elbow”. How can that be updated?? Should it be “broken elbow, leg and pelvis”, or just “broken bones” or even “hacienda Evil Kneival”? Let me know and I’ll get the paint brushes going!!
    Look forward to seeing you soon.

  10. DĂ©solĂ© d’apprendre cette triste nouvelle. Bon et prompt rĂ©tablissement. Amicales pensĂ©es.

  11. Erwin, old guys on scooters is not a good look. Will save you your favourite Red Ochre table for your speedy return. Get well soon mate, Cheers Ron.

  12. Lucky!
    Could have been worse. Thank God. Actually this is the kind of thing we worry about happening to our kids!
    Get well soon bro and don’t fall in love with one of the nurses. You know … Ernest Hemingway style.

  13. Same thing happened to me Erwin, in another place, on a scooter. It really doesn’t take much speed to create mischief, even at more or less perpendicular vectors.
    I’m glad you lived through it & heart goes out to you, knowing what it’s like. I got off a fair bit lighter, though had multiple operations.
    The pain gets better.
    If only we had a new form of “helmet” contoured for torso, pelvis, upper and lower limbs.
    Hope the police can determine the other vehicle and occupant.
    God bless.

  14. Sending prayers and all best wishes for a full recovery Erwin. Thinking of both you and Kieran. What a callous and cowardly deed – I do hope that the perpetrator will be caught and dealt with accordingly. Be strong as I know you will be. We all look forward to a whisky on your return! Jen

  15. OMG Erwin, so sorry to hear this! I only saw you on Thursday…how Bizarre that I should now be reading this!! Here’s to a speedy recovery, but at your age it will possibly be a while. lol (sorry, couldn’t resist). Get well soon.

  16. Heal swiftly Erwin…heard you made a mess of that car you tough old bugger…many caring thoughts of recovery for you from the Day family.

  17. Sorry to hear of you accident. Hope you get well soon. I hope they catch the mongrel who drove off and left you on the road, and throw the book at them.

  18. Sorry to hear of your injuries Erwin. Hope you make a good and speedy recovery. Best wishes from Loie and I. All the best to Kieran as well, stressful time.

  19. Bloody hell Erwin. I go online this morning and there you are, the lead story. Hope all goes well with the surgery and you have a speedy recovery.

  20. Geez Erwin. What have you done to deserve all of this? Hope you make a speedy recovery mate. You are a fighter and with that good woman by your side, it won’t be long before you are out and about again. This is just a little ‘holiday’.

  21. Hallo Erwin;
    was machst Du fuer Sachen?
    Wir wuenschen Dir eine gute Besserung und hoffen, dass es Dir bald wieder gut geht.
    Liebe GrĂ¼sse aus Gloggnitz
    Fred und Erika

  22. Erwin, Cobber, keeping us who have association thru the center is so important. You do a wonderful service, get better soon, it will be a battle. cheers gibba

  23. Hello Erwin, sent healing wishes when we heard you were in hospital HOWEVER, didn’t realize it was a hit/run incident … positive thoughts heading your way and hopefully you’ll be back home before too long. Cheers, Ann, and David.

  24. Interesting to note that another person was cleaned up last Friday night near Maccas as reported in yesterday’s local printed paper. This hit and run routine appears to becoming commonplace around town. The one in town however should be easy for the cops to trace via CCTV you would think. Just one of the benefits of having a good security camera system in operation even though the local camera system is not as good as it could be.
    Anyway Erwin, best wishes for a fast recovery and maybe you can also chase up and report on the other hit and run.

  25. Hi Erwin and Kieran – awful news! Sending you both best wishes for dealing with this stressful time. You’ve lived out one of my greatest fears as a cyclist. Let’s hope the heartless (and brainless) driver is identified. More power to you Erwin. Nx

  26. Reading this post is the first I heard of your accident. So sorry to hear about this and the severe injuries that you have sustained. I know that you are in good hands for a speedy recovery. Get well soon and best wishes to Kieran at home and holding the fort.

  27. Hello Erwin! We heard about your terrible accident. All our thoughts are with you for a speedy recovery. I hope you are OK for when Bertha is all fixed up (-: We look forward to hearing how you are doing.
    Cheers
    from everyone at Centre Bush Bus and Tours

  28. Typical bloody media man. If there is no news worth writing about, make it yourself. Get well soon Erwin.

  29. Hello Erwin, my very best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. Am so sad to hear of your accident, let us hope the Police locate the hit run driver.
    Get well soon, the town needs you.

  30. The very first of all the get well comments here was posted by Hal Duell, and he summed it up perfectly: Hurry back, Erwin. We need you.

  31. How awful! I hope your recovery is swift and as pain-free as possible. You’re in good hands at RAH. I hope you’re back with us soon.

  32. What a shock to hear about this Erwin! Glad to hear the operation was successful and wishing you a fast recovery!

  33. Erwin, we have discussed this in the past, so many times you have told me you like Harley Davidsons, now I hear you got messed up on a Scooter.
    Shame on you … when you get well, use the insurance to buy a BIG Harley, perhaps a Fatboy that can be seen much easier.
    Get well soon!
    “Kevin from Council”

  34. Hi Erwin, thought I posted my best wishes to you ages ago, but looks like I pushed the wrong button.
    Anyway, looks like this story could be on track to recieve the most comments of any story for a while, and all contRibutors are in agreeance, that must be a first.
    Get well soon. Did you find it amusing the other mob could only refer you to as a “local personality” or similar, they could not even mention your name? I’m sure you got some satisfaction out of that.

  35. An accident is bad news, a hit and run wrong, all unfair for a family who seems to travel cautiously in a small car or scooter.
    I guess to save dollars and perhaps world resources. Good wishes for a strong recovery and life reflections therein.

  36. Great to see you on the “road to recovery” Erwin. Get back to work! The town needs you! Yours is the only paper that undertakes real investigative journalism and looks at the “hard” stories and issues.

  37. Sorry we gate crashed today Erwin and Kieran but so pleased to see such a positive bashed and bent recycled teenager. Your attitude to those horrific injuries, well be right sooner than you think, you certainly deserve a very speedy recovery, and with Kieran alongside and standing strong, we know you will be right mate. Cheers, Ed and Gail

  38. Hi again buddy,
    Rex Neindorf in his comment below makes the very valid observation that hit-run incidences seem commonplace here in Alice.
    I think I know why. Whilst approaching the Larapinta rail crossing from the west on Larapinta Drive I was positioned in the right hand lane on decelerating to casually await the passing of the Ghan.
    A P-plater at the tail end of about six cars lined up in the left hand lane decided he didn’t want to wait and without any indication, commenced his u-turn as I approached.
    As he was crossing my lane some 20 feet in front of me I simply skidded into the rear of his ute. He looked around to me and then decided he would continue on, across the right lane, across the turn right lane and than across the median strip, only to gun it and disappear.
    After an hour of giving my report and that of some kind witnesses, I awaited the investigative result of our local constabulary.
    Sure thing, two days later I get a message left on my phone from a local constable which began by stating “we got the offender and he is all right”.
    The next bit of his comment was the bit that continues to amaze me: “We had to issue him with an infringement notice.” A bloody infringement notice!
    He’s a P-plater, didn’t indicate, made an illegal turn that resulted in an accident, and then left the scene of the accident.
    A bloody infringement notice? Is this not a major offence?
    Talk about a tap on the wrist. I almost feel like I should make an apology to the kid. In the meantime, my work and income depends 100% on my van being roadworthy and getting it fixed will interrupt business substantially. But still, we made sure the offender was looked after!
    Get well buddy. We’ll catch up when you get back to the “Hacienda Evil Knievel”.

  39. Have been out of circulation and only just seen the awful news! Our best wishes to you both for a speedy recovery and return to normality.
    Kind Regards
    Denyse and Alan.

  40. Get well soon, Erwin. As a former scooter rider, I know all about cars not giving way.
    I enjoy your on line news.
    Geoff

  41. Well Erwin looks like another “look bike” campaign is needed! The last time I did a ‘superman’ past the drivers windscreen I was a bit luckier.
    Hope the road to recovery is not too painful.
    Best wishes.

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