‘Impromtu race’ hit 70mph – court

AN “impromptu race” ended in a fatal collision after two drivers accelerated to speeds in excess of 70mph in a 30mph zone, a court heard.

Jamie Oaten, 24, admitted causing death by dangerous driving, while his co-defendant Joseph Fettah, 20, denied the charge and is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said: “It is the prosecution case that both share responsibility for the death of Jenna Miller.”

Ms Miller was 30 when she died as a result of injuries she suffered in the crash.

The court heard the incident occurred near the Texaco garage on the A4055 Cardiff Road in Barry at around 9pm on September 27 last year.

Prosecutors allege a “race” between the two defendants began at traffic lights around 500m away from the collision site.

Mr Cobbe said: “The prosecution case is that is that those two young men were more intent on each other and their race than on other road users around them.”

Eyewitnesses described hearing the sound of car engines and seeing the two vehicles accelerating down the road.

One stated they were travelling at “motorway speeds”, while another estimated they were driving around 60mph.

The court heard conditions were dark, but dry and clear, and there was a 30mph speed limit in place.

An expert police witness estimated they were travelling in excess of 70mph.

Referring to Oaten, the prosecutor said: “He was driving at excessive speeds for the road. He was driving dangerously.”

Oaten was driving an Audi A5 at the time of the incident, while Fettah was in a Volkswagen Golf.

Prosecutors said Ms Miller, in a Mazda 6, had just finished filling her car up with fuel when she went to turn right out of the garage.

The court heard her passenger Nathan Pearson had a “limited” recollection of events.

Mr Cobbe told the court Oaten, from Barry, failed to see Ms Miller in time and could not stop, but “skidded” and crashed into the side of her car.

He added: “It is the prosecution case that Oaten was not solely responsible for the collision.”

The prosecutor said Fettah avoided the two vehicles after “heavy braking” and parked around the corner before walking back to the scene.

Fettah, from Maes Y Gwenyn in Rhoose, was arrested and told police he was driving normally. He denied engaging in a race and stated Oaten was entirely responsible for the collision. The trial, presided over Judge Stephen Hopkins QC, is before a jury of five men and seven women and is expected to last for around a week.