A Perth father has died after being hit by an e-scooter in the city on Saturday night.
Thahn Phan’s family is grieving after the 51-year-old pedestrian was hit at the intersection of Murray and King Street, suffering a brain bleed.
Police claim 24-year-old Alicia Kemp was steering the e-scooter, hopping on with a friend who’d been kicked out of a pub.
“A really unfortunate and sad set of circumstances,” WA Police acting assistant commissioner Darren Seivwright said on 6PR.
The UK tourist is alleged to have reached speeds of up to 25km/h, a speed described as “inexplicably dangerous” by a prosecutor.
They also allege she’d been drinking for six hours and had a blood alcohol reading of 0.158 when Phan was struck.
“On Saturday night, Thanh Phan – a beloved husband, father of two, brother, and dear friend – was struck by an electric scooter and critically injured,” the family said in a statement.
“Yesterday evening, we received the heartbreaking news that Thanh passed away as a result of his injuries.”
Kemp was charged with dangerous driving causing death.
The Phan family have lived in WA for more than 10 years, where the father worked as a structural engineer.
Neighbours described him as “unwaveringly positive, hard working, and one of the kindest people we have known”.
Tonight, the family called for a “review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk”.
“We have very strict regulations about speed and power of e-scooters,” Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said.
“It’s obvious that we need to do more on compliance.”
Kemp cried as she was denied bail today, deemed too much of a flight risk.
Tomorrow is her 25th birthday, which she’ll now spend behind bars before facing court again next month.
