Motorcyclist "thrown from bike and hit by car" - court

A JURY has heard more evidence in the trial of a driver charged with causing death by careless driving.

Bristol Crown Court had already heard Nissan Almera driver Leroy Hawthorne-Brown was overtaking erratically before an incident in which he turned right towards 27-year-old biker Marcus Wideson in Falcondale Road, Westbury-on- Trym.

The court heard Mr Wideson, who braked hard, was thrown from his 600cc Honda Hornet machine and was struck by an oncoming Nissan Micra, suffering fatal multiple injuries.

A jury has heard the fatal crash occurred around 6.30pm on a section of Falcondale Road shortly before it widens into two lanes.

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Prosecutor Peter Coombe said: "Mr Wideson was to the right of the road. As he was getting close to or passing the defendant, the defendant pulled out, which caused Mr Wideson to brake.

"The bike skidded some distance and fell to its side.

"Mr Wideson was thrown into oncoming traffic and was hit by a car. He died as a result."

It was calculated that the biker was doing at least 40mph in the 30mph zone when his rear wheel locked up and he was thrown from his machine.

Beryl Brice said she was driving her Nissan Micra north on Falcondale Road when she saw a "black shape" coming towards her from the right.

She said: "It must have been in the air.

"I heard a thump and something hit the front, driver's side.

"I thought it was debris from a lorry or something flipped up from the road."

Mrs Brice told how she stopped, feeling shaky, and saw a body on the ground being looked after by a group of people.

She said: "I saw a clear plastic visor on the floor. I saw the damage to the front of my car, to the front bumper."

Darren Williams, a crime scene investigator, said though a witness had said the Almera seemed to clip the motorcycle, there was no evidence of contact between the two.

Witness Alex Hill told the jury the motorcyclist had gone between him and another car at a roundabout, which he thought was "quite dangerous".

His evidence was that the Nissan Almera was overtaking sharply before it pulled to the right and seemed to clip the motorcycle, pushing the biker into oncoming traffic.

Hawthorne-Brown, 27, of Victoria Avenue, Redfield, denies causing death by careless driving in November 2011.

The court has heard when Hawthorne-Brown was arrested the next day he told police he indicated to move right, checked his mirror and blind spot, and was starting to pull out when he saw a bright light appear and he pulled back to his lane. He was unaware of any accident.

The case continues.