Inquest into bus fire death
THE policeman who investigated the death of a man whose body was found inside a burned out bus at an Atkinson Dam caravan park believed the woman who rented the bus had lit the fire. Detective Senior Sergeant James Steginga told the Coroners Court at Toowoomba that by witness statements arising from his investigation he was of the view that Cathleen O’Loughlin had lit the fire.
The body of Lee Edward Parker, 47, was found inside the bus after the blaze was extinguished by fire crews in the early hours of August 19, 2016.
No-one has been charged in relation to Mr Parker’s death, but upon request of his family, Deputy State Coroner John Lock is holding an inquest aimed at examining the chain of events leading up to the fire, the cause of the fire and whether any factors prevented Mr Parker from escaping the fire.
Ms O’Loughlin, who is scheduled to give evidence at the inquest on Friday, had moved into the converted bus just days before the blaze, the court heard.
Det. Snr Sgt Steginga said investigations by police, fire and electrical examiners found no evidence of human intervention but “human intervention could not be ruled out”.
Asked about a witness who had come forward two years after the event to say she had seen someone in a black hoodie running from the fire, Det. Snr Sgt Steginga said he had discarded that evidence after the witness said she believed that being to be the deceased’s spirit “leaving the fire and flying away”.
The court heard many of the park’s residents had been drinking around a bonfire that night and that Mr Parker had appeared drunk, falling down and falling asleep.
One witness described the interactions between Mr Parker and Ms O’Loughlin that night to be “highly sexualised flirting”.
Police arrived at the scene to find Ms O’Loughlin, who appeared drunk and agitated.
She had appeared more concerned about her cat which had been in the bus, than the deceased man, the court heard.
She handed police a set of keys that were found to be Mr Parker’s, though she said they belonged to Eddie, a man she called “Corporal Klinger” as he wore women’s dresses.
Another witness claimed a man at the park had pushed Mr Parker over, hitting his head, and that he had then been placed into the bus.
The inquest continues.