Coronial
VIChome

Finding into death of Jordan Riley Heyman

Deceased

Jordan Riley Heyman

Demographics

13y, male

Date of death

2022-09-15

Finding date

2024-02-08

Cause of death

Multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle incident (pedestrian)

AI-generated summary

A 13-year-old boy was struck by a runaway motor vehicle that rolled down the family driveway in Wallan, Victoria. The vehicle was parked on a steep slope with the transmission reportedly in park and handbrake engaged, but was found in neutral after the accident. Mechanical investigation found the handbrake would not hold the vehicle if applied to seven clicks or less on the slope. The exact mechanism of the vehicle's release could not be definitively established, though possibilities included inadvertent transmission shift or handbrake disengagement. The death resulted from multiple traumatic injuries. No criminal charges were laid. The incident highlights risks associated with parked vehicles on steep slopes and the importance of robust parking brake systems.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.

Contributing factors

  • Vehicle parked on steep driveway
  • Handbrake insufficiently applied (seven clicks or less may be inadequate on steep slope)
  • Transmission in neutral at time of accident
  • Motorised garage door not working, necessitating driveway parking
  • Vehicle slope conditions exceeding handbrake holding capacity
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