A coroner has handed down his findings into the stabbing death of Taroona man Reid Ludwig, revealing his final moments after a service station altercation.
On Wednesday, Coroner Robert Webster said Mr Ludwig was stabbed in the abdomen at the Blackmans Bay Coles Express after a dispute with two youths on November 24, 2019.
On the day in question, Mr Ludwig, 41, attended the service station with his partner and two of their children to return a trailer.
In the service station forecourt was a 16-year-old boy and his sister’s boyfriend. The 16-year-old’s sister and uncle were inside buying a drink.
Mr Webster said the boyfriend, who had a scooter, told the deceased he “did not like the way” Mr Ludwig was looking at him as he walked by, confronting him verbally.
Mr Ludwig responded by moving towards him.
The coroner said the teenage boy took his backpack off and held it in his left hand before Mr Ludwig pushed the boyfriend over.
As the boyfriend got to his feet, Mr Ludwig saw the boy holding a large knife retrieved from his backpack.
The boy then stabbed Mr Ludwig to the abdomen.
Mr Ludwig then walked away before collapsing in the forecourt, with emergency services called immediately.
The boy was arrested while Mr Ludwig received first aid until an ambulance arrived.
Mr Webster said Mr Ludwig suffered a cardiac arrest caused by blood loss while undergoing surgery to repair abdominal wounds, and passed away.
The boy was initially charged with murder, but the charge was downgraded to manslaughter in 2021, and was ultimately found unfit to stand trial by a jury last year due to his autism spectrum disorder.
He was released back into the community on January 10 this year under a three-year order, and under-18 conditions.
Webster said Mr Ludwig was a father of two, had been in a relationship for 18 months at the time of his death, and was working in a factory processing role.
He described him as a fit and well person who enjoyed surfing, skateboarding and Pilates.
Mr Webster said Mr Ludwig’s death occurred while he was in the process of moving items from a Rosetta home that he’d just sold.
Extracted in full from: themercury.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-tasmania/coroner-reveals-taroona-dads-final-moments-after-blackmans-bay-service-station-stabbing/news-story/32d6bd2c92a0f4edc71917a278a59957
