Inquest into the death of Patrick FISHER

35y · Male·multiple injuries received when he fell from a 13th floor balcony

Patrick Fisher, aged 35, died on 7 February 2018 after falling from a 13th floor apartment balcony while evading police attempting to execute arrest warrants. He was acutely intoxicated with methylamphetamine, which impaired his judgment, cognitive function, and motor control, increasing risk-taking behaviour. The coroner found that police conducted an appropriate risk assessment given Fisher's known history of escaping arrest and attempting to climb balconies. Police arranged appropriate containment including ground-level observation of the balcony. The coroner was not persuaded that placing police on the lower balcony would have been safer. While methylamphetamine intoxication was a significant contributing factor, the slip and fall appear to have resulted from the acute effects of the drug combined with the physical challenge of climbing. This case illustrates how acute drug intoxication can impair judgment and motor function in dangerous situations.