An elderly woman was killed after allegedly being run over twice by a 90-year-old man in a Waitrose car park before he drove off to a garden centre.
Patricia Jepson was pushing along a shopping trolley outside the supermarket in Colchester when Colin Kirby-Green reversed into her, Ipswich Crown Court has heard.
Jo Morris, prosecuting, told the court that the driver had run over Ms Jepson before moving forward and reversing into her a second time.
He then allegedly fled the scene in the vehicle without stopping and drove to a garden centre, East Anglian Daily Times reports.
Bystanders rushed to help the victim before she was taken to hospital, where she died on August 28, 2023, nine days after the collision.
Kirby-Green is charged with causing death by dangerous driving and an alternative charge of careless driving.
He told police he believed he had put his foot down on the accelerator and brake at the same time which caused the automatic car to jerk backwards.
The driver said the crash could have been a result of a pedal error.
An elderly woman was killed after allegedly being run over twice by a 90-year-old man in a Waitrose car park, pictured in a general view image, before he drove off to a garden centre
Patricia Jepson was pushing along a shopping trolley outside the supermarket in Colchester when Colin Kirby-Green reversed into her, Ipswich Crown Court (pictured) has heard
A police accident specialist suggested that had the driver had his rear-view mirror in the correct position, he would have spotted Ms Jepson a few seconds before he reversed, Ms Morris said.
On Thursday, CCTV footage of the incident was played to the court, at which point Ms Jepson’s family left the public gallery.
A day earlier, three psychiatrists told Judge Martyn Levett that Kirby-Green, who has a number of health problems including Alzheimer’s, was not fit to stand trial.
The driver will be able to follow the hearing at home in the presence of a member of his legal team and an intermediary using a video link.
As a result, a jury was assembled to hear evidence and decide as a matter of fact whether the OAP’s driving had been careless or dangerous.
The hearing continues.
