A WOMAN killed a motorcyclist when she ran a red light with 'cataclysmic consequences', a court has heard.
Amanda Day is on trial at Oxford Crown Court accused of one count of causing death by careless driving over the crash, which took place at Milton Interchange last year.
Prosecutors claim that the 52-year old's driving resulted in the death of Billy Elbrow, from Abingdon, on the night of August 23 last year at the busy roundabout near Didcot.
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Day, of Westmead, Princes Risborough, denies she ran a red light, her defence instead insisting the 20-year-old motorcyclist had himself gone through a red light on the A4130 and was at fault.
Stefan Weidmann, opening the case for the prosecution yesterday, said this 'fundamentally is a simple case', explaining: "A lady has gone through a red light with the most cataclysmic consequences."
He added: "There couldn't be a clearer example of careless driving than going through a red light."
Alice Baker, who had been at the McDonald's next to the Milton Interchange with her boyfriend before the crash, which took place at 7.25pm, told the court she had let Mr Elbrow pull out in front of her car as she turned left onto the A4130 from the fast food chain.
The junction beside McDonald's on the Milton Interchange which Billy Elbrow went through. Picture: Google Maps
She said she had been around 20 metres behind Elbrow as he approached the traffic lights at the interchange and she remembered they had been green when he went through.
She added: "I saw the car coming from the right and he went into the side of the car."
Stephan Ferson, in cross examination however, suggested she was 'quite a bit further back' than she had told the court and that she did not remember correctly the colour of the light, which Ms Baker denied.
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Another witness, Alan Thomas, who was cycling with his dog at the time of the crash, said he too had seen the traffic light immediately after the crash, turning around in the direction of the 'loud bang'.
He said the light had been 'amber and then red', meaning when Elbrow went through it was green.
Nathan Stone, who was working at the McDonald's, told the court he had been at the drive-thru window at the time of the crash and had a clear view of the A4130 lights Mr Elbrow used. He said he saw they were green when the motorcyclist went through and he also saw the young man crash into Day's car 'flipping over the roof'.
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Mr Elbrow's white Kawasaki motorcycle crashed with the silver Volkswagen Passat, driven by Day as she travelled on the A34 southbound.
South Central Ambulance Service sent three ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance to the scene.
Mr Elbrow later died at the John Radcliffe Hospital after suffering multiple injuries as a result of the crash.
The trial continues today with the jury set to hear from a collisions expert.
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