An Australian CEO was reportedly left for dead in the US after being attacked by thugs. His worried family were unable to find him for four days as he was in a medically induced coma.
Colin Bettles, who worked as a media adviser to former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and is now the boss of farming organisation Grain Producers Australia, was reportedly in San Francisco on a solo work trip when he went out for pizza with colleagues on July 4.
His family believes he was on his way to his hotel after dinner when he was attacked, leaving him with a broken eye socket and serious head injuries.
His phone and wallet were stolen and he was left unconscious in the street before a passerby could help him, the Sydney Morning Herald.
Mr Bettles, a former journalist who later entered politics, was taken to a local hospital, but doctors were unable to identify him without any documentation.
His injuries were so severe that he was placed in an induced coma.
His partner, who works in regional Australia with limited phone coverage, only noticed something was wrong when he didn’t get on the plane to New York.
She reportedly contacted Mr Bettles’ friend of 15 years and former employer, Nationals MP McCormack, who raised the alarm with the Foreign Office and Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday.
Colin Bettles (pictured), who worked as a media adviser to former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and is now the boss of farming organisation Grain Producers Australia, has reportedly been left for dead after being attacked in the US.
His partner is said to have contacted Mr Bettles’ friend of 15 years and his former employer, Nationals MP McCormack (the two are pictured together), who raised the alarm with the Foreign Office and Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Monday.
US authorities then tracked Mr Bettles down to his hospital bed, where he spent five days in intensive care.
It appears that Mr Bettles was travelling alone but was conducting business in his capacity as CEO of Grain Producers Australia (GPA).
His colleagues at GPA only learned of his plight after his partner raised the alarm.
A GPA spokeswoman said Mr Bettles “sustained an injury in the United States and is currently in hospital receiving treatment”.
“The GPA board supports his family and the authorities by providing assistance wherever possible,” she added.
Mr McCormack described his former associate and friend as an “all-round good guy”.
“Nobody deserves what happened to him,” McCormack told the newspaper.
A friend of Mr. Bettles said that he ‘suffered head injuries (suspected assault) in San Francisco on July 4.
“As a result, he was admitted to SF General Hospital where he is currently recovering,” the friend added.
On the day of the alleged attack, Mr. Bettles (pictured) shared several posts on X, formerly Twitter, documenting his visit to San Francisco
On the day of the alleged attack, Mr Bettles had posted several messages on X (formerly Twitter) documenting his trip to the United States.
“A fantastic experience today, doing the 17 Mile Drive and checking out the Pebble Beach golf course and facilities #roadTrip,” he posted, accompanied by several photos of the world-famous golf course in California.
Later that day, he shared a video of self-driving taxis in San Francisco.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to San Francisco police for comment.
Mr Bettles began his career as a journalist, eventually working as a national rural affairs reporter in Parliament House for Fairfax from 2006 to 2018.
His area of work included the agricultural sector, including agricultural representation, crop production, wheat export deregulation, supply chain and competition.
In 2016 he re-established the National Rural Press Club in Canberra and was its first president.
His tenure was praised by independent MP Bob Katter, who said he was known for his integrity and his ability to build and maintain relationships.
Mr Bettles began his career as a journalist, eventually working as a national rural affairs reporter in Parliament House for Fairfax
Mr Bettles’ tenure as president of the National Rural Press Club in Canberra was praised by independent MP Bob Katter, who said he was known for his integrity and his ability to build and maintain relationships (the two are pictured together)
“I think Colin Bettles has revolutionised rural reporting in Canberra and Australia,” Katter said in 2018, when Bettles stepped down from his role.
“Colin came in and spoke at our level and in our language. Colin brought a willingness to understand the issues and to report them without fear or favor.”
After leaving journalism, Mr Bettles worked as a media advisor to former Nationals leader, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack, including during the 2019 federal election campaign.
Mr Bettles comes from a dairy farming family in Western Australia and is a big cricket fan.