‘Van driver’s danger move put motorist in hospital’ – court
AVAN driver crashed into a car while overtaking and left the driver in hospital for three months, a court has heard.
Christopher Boak, 33, is accused of seriously injuring driver Andrew Turner by driving dangerously, which he denies, on the A465 in Abergavenny on September 15 last year.
The defendant claims that the overtaking manoeuvre which led to the collision with Mr Turner was “lawful and proper” and did not amount to dangerous driving.
A trial into Boak’s conduct opened at Newport Crown Court yesterday where a jury heard details of the collision between Boak’s Vauxhall Vivaro and Mr Turner’s Peugeot 206.
Opening the hearing, prosecutor David Pinnell said: “The allegation against Christopher Boak is that he drove a motor vehicle, his works van, dangerously on the A465 between Abergavenny and Hereford, near the Hardwick Roundabout.
“In driving dangerously, having caused a collision because the standard of his driving fell far below that of a careful and competent driver, he caused serious injury to Mr Andrew Turner.”
At around 7am, Mr Turner was driving north on the A465 with his son in the passenger seat, where he planned to pull into a lay by to park his car and catch a train from Abergavenny railway station nearby. As he approached the lay by, Mr Turner indicated to turn right from the northbound carriageway to cross the southbound carriageway into the lay by.
A Ford Mondeo behind Mr Turner noticed the signal and reacted appropriately, and behind the Mondeo was Boak in the Vauxhall Vivaro.
Mr Pinnell said: “The defendant had decided to overtake the Ford Mondeo at that point before reaching the lay by.
“He, from what he told police, believed the Mondeo was slowing down and had come to a halt.
“As a result of that, the decision was he made to overtake that vehicle. What happened however ahead of the Mondeo is Mr Boak was in the southbound carriageway and he failed to notice that Mr Turner was driving right across his path and a collision ensued between the two vehicles.
“They collided somewhat in a T shape, primarily along the front offside of the Peugeot 206, the result of which was the two vehicles had wound across the remainder of the southbound carriageway and ended up a distance of 40 metres away from the end of the lay by.”
The emergency services were alerted and Mr Turner had to be extricated from his vehicle by the fire service.
He was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff, where he spent a number of weeks until he was transferred to another hospital in Cardiff. He was discharged on December 14 having spent three months in hospital.
Boak was arrested at the scene and was taken to Ystrad Mynach police station for interview.
The defendant told officers he had decided to overtake the Ford Mondeo because it was slowing down and had indicated to the left.
He said having overtaken the Mondeo, he was only at that point aware of the Peugeot 206.
In his second interview, Boak, of Ysgol Place, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, said he believed he made a proper and lawful overtaking manoeuvre and did not believe he was driving dangerously.
The trial continues.