A holiday in Bali has ended in tragedy for a young Australian couple, leaving one dead and the other fighting for her life with catastrophic injuries.
The Fatal Collision in North Kuta
Bryce Alexander Black and Samantha Baillie, both 33 and from the NSW Central Coast, were involved in a horrific head-on collision while riding a scooter along Petitenget street in Kerobokan Village, North Kuta. The accident occurred around 4.30am on Sunday.
According to a Bali Police report obtained by Daily Mail, their Yamaha NMAX scooter veered onto the wrong side of the road while attempting to overtake another vehicle. It collided with a Honda Mobilio, driven by two Indonesian students, which was travelling in the correct lane.
Life-Changing Injuries and Mounting Costs
Mr Black suffered fatal injuries at the scene, including a severe head injury, bleeding from the ears, a fractured left arm, and a leg laceration. Ms Baillie, his passenger, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Her best friend, Savannah-Leigh Homer, has revealed the extent of the young mother-of-two's injuries. Ms Baillie has a fractured skull with bleeding on the brain, multiple broken fingers with severe hand injuries, pelvic injuries, and extensive damage to her feet. Ms Homer stated the hairdresser faces a "long and uncertain recovery" and may be unable to work for a considerable time, particularly due to her hand injuries.
The couple did not have travel insurance. Ms Baillie's family now faces a medical bill exceeding $50,000, on top of costs to transfer her back to Australia and cover rehabilitation and living expenses. A GoFundMe page set up on Tuesday has already raised more than $51,000, with donations currently paused.
A Holiday Meant for Celebration
In a cruel twist, the trip was Ms Baillie's first ever overseas holiday. The couple had arrived in Indonesia just the day before the crash. Ms Homer described the holiday as "meant to be a happy milestone" for Ms Baillie, who had recently started a new chapter in her life.
In the lead-up to the trip, Ms Baillie's social media was filled with loving posts about her relationship with Mr Black. The couple had recently celebrated the festive season with their three children from previous relationships. Just before Christmas, she shared a TikTok reel of the couple kissing, captioned: "Love isn't perfect, it's practised."
The 27-year-old Indonesian driver of the car was uninjured, while his 25-year-old passenger was treated for minor body pain. Police characterised Ms Baillie's injuries in their report as minor, conflicting with the medical reality described by her friend.
