Stepson pays tribute to man killed in Slaithwwaite crash

Dec 2 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Crash at Heys Lane

A GRIEVING stepson today paid tribute to his popular biker stepfather who died after a road accident.

Jade Shaw, 24, said his motorbike-loving stepfather Andrew Bohdan, who had brought him up from the age of one, was liked by everyone.

Mr Shaw, who shared his Marsden house with his stepfather and their two dogs, said he considered Mr Bohdan his true dad.

He said Mr Bohdan was well known in the biking community and his friends included Huddersfield-born former superbike champion Jamie Whitham.

Mr Bohdan died yesterday morning after his car was involved in a head-on collision in Slaithwaite.

Police said he got out of the car seconds after the crash but collapsed with chest pains and died at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

A postmortem to determine the cause of death was taking place today.

Mr Bohdan, a welder who worked for a company in Elland, had a life which ‘revolved around bikes’ and would spend his spare time riding and repairing them, his stepson said.

Mr Shaw said: “To me, he’s my dad but I’m his stepson.

“He was an outgoing guy. His life revolved around his bikes. He would go riding every weekend.

“He was a person who everyone liked and he had so many friends and there will be a big bike run for him when the time comes.

“He liked to have a laugh. He could be quite dry at times but he had a good sense of humour.

“He was a good listener, who thought lots of his friends. His mates, bikes and dogs were everything to him. He was up for the dogs, walking them twice a day.