Inquest into the Death of Richard Stanley Tauwhare

25y · Male·gastro-intestinal haemorrhage due to erosive gastritis in association with acute-on-chronic amphetamine toxicity

Richard Stanley Tauwhare, a 25-year-old male, died on 10 February 2002 from gastro-intestinal haemorrhage due to erosive gastritis in association with acute-on-chronic amphetamine toxicity. He had consumed a large dose of methylamphetamine (3.9 mg/L blood level), which caused aggressive and psychotic behaviour. After assaulting a friend while she was driving, he wandered naked on a street in Girrawheen. Police and ambulance officers attended and appropriately restrained him with assistance from police due to his unpredictable and dangerous behaviour. He was placed in an ambulance en route to hospital but suffered cardiac arrest and could not be resuscitated. The coroner found the police and ambulance officers acted appropriately given the circumstances. The death was classified as accidental, caused by the combined effects of severe amphetamine toxicity and underlying gastric erosion from chronic drug use.