WA businessman Colin Bettles wakes from coma with head injuries after being left for dead in San Francisco

A WA businessman has woken from an induced coma in good spirits but with serious head injuries after he is believed to have been violently mugged and left for dead on a busy San Francisco street. Grain Producers Australia chief executive Colin Bettles — a former journalist and media advisor to former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack — was found with injuries to his head and eye socket on July 4 while travelling alone on a work trip to the US. He was rushed to the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Centre where he was placed in the intensive care unit and induced into a coma for five days. Speaking to The West Australian on Thursday, GPA board member Andrew Weidemann said Mr Bettles had awoken from his days-long induced coma last night and was conscious and talking. “He’s out of a coma but he is still in hospital and we’re waiting on a neurologist report to see how his recovery is going to be,” Mr Weidemann said. “Once we get the neurologist report we will know when he can come back. With this head trauma, he’s still in a potentially dangerous spot.” Mr Weidemann said he had suffered fractures to the frontal lobe area of his left eye, and a gash to the back of the head that has required stitches. In a statement to the ABC, the San Francisco Police Department said there “were no reports of Bettles being reported as a victim of any crime”. However, friends and family of Mr Bettles believe he was bashed late at night during his walk back to his hotel from dinner. Dr Sue Acton, Mr Bettles’ partner, first reported him missing after she noticed he hadn’t boarded a scheduled flight to New York. She alerted Mr McCormack, who, fearing the worst, played an integral role in finding Mr Bettles and communicating with authorities. That involved consular officials going “hospital by hospital” and “ward by ward”. “When I found out he was alive and well, I actually got a little bit emotional, I didn’t realise I liked Col that much,” Mr McCormack joked. “It was an exhaustive process but thankfully we’ve found him. “My relief was palpable. I’d spent much of Monday on the phone trying to track his whereabouts. “All along I’d feared the worst. It had been four days since anyone had heard from him. His bags were untouched and his rental car at the hotel car park had been untouched.” It is believed his wallet and phone were stolen, but in a twist, his belongings have since been located. “He has quite serious injuries consistent with being mugged,” Mr McCormack said. “He has a gash down the back of his head and bruising on the inside of his arms — which is consistent with being stomped on, is what police said. “Police are working on the assumption he has been mugged. Because he’s got a blow to the front of the head and fallen backwards or a blow to the back of the head and fallen forward.” Mr Bettles was only two blocks away from his hotel when the mysterious incident unfolded around 11pm. Mr McCormack described Mr Bettles as a highly regarded colleague and dear friend. “He’s not a good bloke, he’s a great bloke,” he said. “Colin and I have known each other for the best part of 15 years. “I’m blown away by the number of people’s lives he has touched.” Although Mr Bettles is awake, he does not remember what happened. The Department of Foreign Affairs is assisting his family. The San Francisco Police Department has been approached for comment. Mr Bettles worked as a journalist for Fairfax between 2006 and 2018, where he covered rural affairs based in Parliament House. He re-established the National Rural Press Club in 2016, becoming its inaugural president. He worked for Mr McCormack during the 2019 election campaign. Mr Bettles has been Chief Executive for Grain Producers Australia since May 2021.