Heartbreaking photos have emerged of two teenage boys killed when the petrol-fuelled trail bike they were riding in tandem collided with a bus in Sydney’s west.
Adrian Lai, 15, and William Drake, 16, were zipping along the Liverpool Parramatta Transitway at Bossley Park when they collided with the side of a commuter bus about 7.15pm on Monday.
Emergency services found the pair wedged underneath the vehicle. Both boys died at the scene.
Within hours, harrowing footage began circulating on social media showing paramedics desperately performing CPR on one of the teens.
Friends flooded social media with tributes, remembering the pair as fun-loving boys and passionate trail riders.
One friend recalled seeing Adrian that same day and ‘not knowing it was going to be the last time’.
‘Rest in peace Adrian, one of the most funniest ones I knew.’
Another friend said: ‘William, never thought I’d lose you this early. Thank you for everything you taught me on the bike. I’d be nowhere near where I am without you.’
William Drake and Adrian Lai died on Monday when the motorcycle they were riding hit a bus
Within hours, harrowing footage began circulating on social media showing the motorcycle trapped beneath the front of the bus
The pair were riding tandem at the time of the crash
‘It’s a wake-up call to everyone – get rid of these bikes, they are not toys. It kills to know you’re gone and doesn’t feel real.’
William’s older brother, Byron Drake, also shared his grief, thanking a family friend for posting a tribute.
‘Thank you so much for this video you have posted for my little bro,’ he wrote.
Friends have since organised a memorial ride in honour of the boys, set to take place on April 3 at Bankstown Airport, urging those attending to ‘ride safe and respect the day.’
The bus driver was taken to hospital for mandatory testing following the crash. Police said he is traumatised by the incident.
Neither the driver nor any passengers on board the bus were physically injured in the crash.
While the teenagers were initially believed to have been riding an e-bike, transport officials later confirmed it is now thought to have been a petrol-fuelled trail bike.
Adrian often posted pictures of himself performing stunts on his bike
The bike was wedged under the front of the bus
Friends have organised a ride in memory of the teens
Both boys regularly posted updates to their social media accounts showing them performing wheelies in the street and riding tandem.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said it was a tragic scene that would impact many.
‘We’ve got two young boys who won’t grow up, we’ve got two families who will grieve forever at the loss of their loved ones,’ he told Radio 2GB.
‘Importantly as well, we’ll have a bus driver who will be significantly impacted, and for our first response officers, our emergency services who have to attend these scenes, they are incredibly difficult to go to.
‘So our thoughts are very much with the families and certainly those impacted.’
The crash came just hours after NSW Police revealed they had issued 170 fines during a two-day operation targeting illegal e-bikes in Sydney’s south last week.
Officers spoke to more than 215 e-bike and e-scooter riders last Wednesday and Thursday and issued a further 99 cautions.
‘More than 250 people were breath-tested and 26 people were drug-tested,’ police said in a statement on Monday morning.
Tributes poured in for the best mates with classmates sharing their memories of the pair
The pair were well loved members of the local trail-riding community
The tragedy comes as new laws allowing NSW Police and Transport for NSW to seize and crush illegally modified e-bikes are set to be introduced into parliament
‘There were five e-bike riders who tested positive to drugs.
‘Police laid five charges for criminal offences and 21 traffic charges.’
Traffic and Highway Patrol operations commander Anthony Boyd said officers take illegally modified e-bikes and dangerous riding seriously.
‘NSW Police will continue to conduct operations to prevent reckless riding where other road users and pedestrians are put at risk,’ Superintendent Boyd said.
It comes as new laws allowing NSW Police and Transport for NSW to seize and crush illegally modified e-bikes are set to be introduced into parliament.
The proposed laws are aimed at curbing the growing use of throttle-only high-powered e-motorbikes, which authorities say are fuelling dangerous anti-social behaviour.
The legislation has been modelled on existing laws in Western Australia, where police already have the power to seize and destroy illegally modified bikes.
In an Australian first, the laws will also introduce roadside dyno units designed to detect whether an e-bike can exceed the 25km/h speed limit.
Transport Minister John Graham said the changes marked a significant step forward.
‘We don’t want to discourage safe and healthy e-bike use, but we do want to discourage dangerous and illegal e-motorbike use and these powers will do exactly that,’ he said.
