A 33-year-old police officer who ploughed into an oncoming car on a blind bend, killing a Mid Wales man, has denied being a “macho” driver.Detective Constable Ashley Brice, a grade one advanced police driver, told a jury of his actions in the moments leading up to the crash saying he had felt it safe to overtake a lorry and three cars.
Brice, of Kerry, Newtown, denies causing the death of Gareth Edward James by dangerous driving.
Mr James, 43, from Llandegley, Llandrindod Wales, was driving a Vauxhall Astra that was in collision with Brice’s unmarked police car, a Ford Mondeo, on the A483 Newtown to Llandrindod Wells road, at Bwlch Gate, Dolfor, on October 10, 2005.
Yesterday at Caernarfon Crown Court, Brice said he overtook the lorry then took the decision to overtake three cars in front, before the bend up ahead.
But as his bonnet drew level with the rear of the final car, a BMW, he realised it was accelerating.
“I had to reassess and saw a gap open up between the Vectra and BMW. I decided to decelerate and pull into the gap. But the car’s speed changed again as the driver decelerated or braked and the gap closed leaving me no space,” he said.
Brice said that he deemed the safest action was to accelerate to get in front of the BMW, but when he applied the brakes he had no control over the steering.
His Mondeo hit the verge and bounced off, the court heard. Brice said his car went straight towards the other car and did not react.
During cross-examination by Mr Geraint Walters, prosecuting, Brice said while he enjoyed driving, he was not a macho driver and did not get a thrill out of it.
The trial continues.
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