Hells Angels MC founding member dies in car accident

Kew, Melbourne, Australia (March 27, 2018) BTN — Chris “Ball Bearing’’Coelho, a founding member of the Hells Angels in Australia — has died.

Chris Coelho, who was an integral part of the Hells Angels legendary rock n’ roll festivals in Broadford, was killed in a car accident near Kew on Friday.

Related | Hells Angels MC turns 70 years old

His wife, Dee, said it was a shock and that her husband had also been battling health issues for some time.

But Dee said he would be remembered for the mark he left, especially on the Australian music scene.

“It’s shocking what’s happened,’’ she said.

Chris “Ball Bearing’’ Coelho with his wife Dee in 2013.

“He lived a great life. It feels like it’s been cut short by this happening.

“Chris was a wonderful and genuine man. He took part in life and lived it to the fullest.

The couple in 2013.

“He was spontaneous. He liked to have parties and have fun and was also very protective of people.

“I’m amazed every single day with some of the events he was a part of. He had created very special moments for people.’’

The life of an outlaw did have its moments.

In the early years as an outlaw bikie, Coelho wore a chrome helmet and was nicknamed “Ball Bearing’’. It stuck. The avid Harley Davidson rider and guitar player had travelled the world and met the famous and infamous. Among them was riding across America with the Hells Angels’ most notable member “Sonny’’ Barger.

And Coelho would regale stories of a singalong with his musical heroes Johnny Cash, June Carter and Willie Nelson in a hotel room. But he also had other moments.

Chris “Ball Bearing’’ Coelho left the Hells Angels to get married.

Coelho lived through an internal Hells Angels split turned violent over the production of speed.

He would survive the conflict, but not before he was shot in the chest.

Aged 68 Coelho retired from the Hells Angels in 2012 after 42 years membership of the world’s most infamous outlaw motorcycle club. He had been an office bearer, including a chapter president.

But as a new breed of bikie entered the club, Coelho knew his time as an Angel was over.

He handed in his “colours’’ soon after his public arrest following a raid by police on the Angels’ Melbourne clubhouse in Fairfield. In a show of force, police had ripped off the front gates to the Heidelberg Rd chapter which was adorned with the Hells Angels “Death Head’’ insignia.

Coelho was charged for being in possession of a small amount of cannabis and an ornamental gun.

As he was escorted from the clubhouse, Coelho would have one last surprise for police investigators, who at the time were attempting to thwart a war with the Bandidos.

They all knew of “Ball Bearing’’ and as they escorted him towards the front door to cuff him, he requested to take a jacket from the cloak stand.

Chris “Ball Bearing’’ Coelho was arrested during a police raid.

Among the hoodies and jackets, he picked out his Hells Angels cut (vest) as a media throng waited outside.

It was his last public act of defiance as a Hells Angel.

Coelho has been part of the fabric of Australian music in stories told by bands such as Midnight Oil, who had played at the Broadford festival organised by the bikie club in the 1980s. Oils drummer Rob Hirst would tell of an arrow, shot into an office in Manly, and an attached note demanding they play the gig.

The note was signed “Ball Bearing”.

When they arrived in Broadford as requested, they would play until “Mr Bearing’’ raised his finger.

In 2013, Coelho told the Herald Sun his time as a Hells Angel had to end but remained friends with many of them. Part of his reasoning to “retire’’ was his impending marriage to Dee, 20 years his junior. He was also adamant he wanted no part in any emerging conflict with the Bandidos at the time.

His timing was impeccable. Within weeks the Bandidos’ Toby Mitchell had been ambushed and shot by Hells Angels. After their wedding in 2013, they rode through the middle of Australia. Coelho draped his Harley’s handlebars with Australian flags. Dee rode a smaller Harley alongside him.

Written by Anthony Dowsley

SOURCE: Herald Sun

Source: Biker Trash Network

Chosen Few MC Clubhouse fire suspicious

Columbus, GA, USA (March 26, 2018) BTN — Local arson investigators are looking into an early Sunday morning fire at a midtown Columbus motorcycle club, Fire Marshal Ricky Shores said.

The call to Columbus Fire and Emergency Medical Services came just before 2 a.m. for the Chosen Few Motor Cycle Club at 1238 Midway Drive. Firefighters from the Brown Avenue and downtown stations were able to quickly bring situation under control and keep it from doing serious damage to the building, Shores said.

There were three separate fires started on the exterior of the building, Shores said, declining to go into additional details.

There was no one in the building at the time of the fire, but people had been there earlier in the evening, Shores said.

The Chosen Few Motorcycle Club on Midway Drive

The fire marshal called the fire suspicious, but declined to go into additional details.

No arrests have been made or charges filed, Shores said.

Chosen Few Motor Cycle Club is national organization with a Columbus chapter. The storefront on Midway Drive is a private club used by members.

SOURCE: Ledger-Enquirer

Source: Biker Trash Network

Hand Sign

Family of shot biker still seeking justice 1 year later

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA (March 25, 2018) BTN — This week will mark one year since a deadly shooting at a northwest Albuquerque car wash, in which Earl Roybal was killed while his motorcycle was drying in one of those car wash bays.

Related | Man who admitted to shooting biker claims self-defense

A year later, Roybal's family and friends say there has been no justice; the person who shot him hasn't been charged.

The district attorney's office reviewed the evidence and ruled that the March 26, 2017 shooting was in self-defense. Meanwhile, family members have hired a private investigator to review that evidence with the hopes that charges could still come in this case.

Earl Roybal

Now, they are doing what they can to keep his memory alive.

"We still don't feel justice was delivered in this case," said Raymond Gallegos of the New Mexico Motorcycle Rights Organization. "The DA did review the case. It was up to the DA to prosecute that, but we don't feel that the family saw justice. We don't feel that it was still a self-defense shooting. We don't feel like it was justifiable self-defense."

Roybal's loved ones will be gathering for a motorcycle ride and vigil on Monday. The ride will begin at Bullhead Park at 6:15 p.m. and go towards the Hose It Car Wash on Coors Boulevard, where they will gather for a candlelight vigil expected to start around 7 p.m.

SOURCE: KOB4 News
Source: Biker Trash Network

Hells Angels murder case in Canada continues on

Nova Scotia, Canada (March 22, 2018) BTN — The Crown may seek to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada a ruling by Nova Scotia's highest court that quashed the convictions against one of the men accused in a Hells Angels murder nearly two decades ago.

Dean Daniel Kelsie, 45, was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the Oct. 3, 2000, shooting death of Sean Simmons in the lobby of an apartment building in north-end Dartmouth.

But last December, his convictions were overturned by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal and a new trial ordered.

On Thursday morning, Kelsie was brought into Nova Scotia Supreme Court to provide an update on his status. He told the judge his case has stalled because the Crown is still considering whether to appeal the Court of Appeal ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada.

"I think it's going to be pursued," Crown prosecutor Peter Craig said in reference to a possible appeal. "The ultimate decision hasn't yet been made."

Kelsie said until the Crown makes a decision on appeal, "My situation is stagnant."

"Three judges already quashed my sentence after 18 years in prison," Kelsie said, referring to the three-member Court of Appeal panel who ruled in December. Kelsie has been in custody since his arrest in 2001.

At Kelsie's first trial in 2003, the jury heard that Simmons was shot to death because he'd allegedly had an affair with a Hells Angel. Kelsie was accused of pulling the trigger.

Two other men, Neil William Smith and Wayne Alexander James, are both serving life sentences for their roles in Simmons's killing. A fourth man, Steven Gareau, was set free last month after a judge ended the prosecution against him.

Gareau had been twice found guilty of first-degree murder, but both convictions were overturned on appeal. Last month, Justice Campbell ruled that it would be unfair to subject Gareau to a third trial.

On Thursday, Kelsie told Justice Glen McDougall that Toronto lawyer Philip Campbell has agreed to represent him in his new trial, but that Campbell was unable to appear with him on this occasion.

Without Campbell present, McDougall agreed to a request to put Kelsie's matter over for two weeks to allow time to sort things out.

SOURCE: CBC News – Nova Scotia

Source: Biker Trash Network