Warrant issued for arrest of banned driver accused of killing Coventry pensioner, 83

[dutchman]

A judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a banned driver accused of causing a crash on the M42 which claimed the life of a Coventry pensioner and seriously injured his wife



Tony Owens had pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court last year to causing the death of 83-year-old Raymond Goode by driving a Peugeot 307 dangerously on the M42 in August 2017.

Owens (37) formerly of Charlbury Avenue, Fordbridge, Birmingham, also denied causing serious injury to Cathryn Goode, then aged 74, by dangerous driving.

Owens, who also faced charges of failing to stop after the accident, failing to report it, driving without insurance and driving without a licence, had been due to stand trial this week.

Instead, at the request of his solicitor, the case was listed for him to enter pleas to the charges of causing the death of Mr Goode and serious injury to Mrs Goode.

And it was anticipated that Owens, now of Westfield Avenue, Ashby-de-la-Zouche, Leicestershire, would now admit the charges and be sentenced.

But he failed to turn up, and Mark Nicholls, defending, confirmed that Owens was aware of the hearing, adding that he had tried to ring him, but his phone had gone to voice mail.

So, at the request of prosecutor Andrew Wilkins, Judge Peter Cooke issued a warrant for Owens to be arrested.

The charges follow a crash involving the Peugeot and the Goodes’ gold-coloured Vauxhall Agila on the M42 between junctions 10 and 11, near Tamworth, at around 8.50pm on August 19, 2017.

The emergency services attended rapidly, but front seat passenger Mr Goode, who lived in Coventry but with his wife had previously run a hairdressing salon in Atherstone, was declared dead at the scene.

Mrs Goode, who was driving, was in a critical condition, and was rushed by ambulance to hospital, where her condition a couple of days later was said to be ‘serious but stable.’

Owens was alleged to have driven from the scene, but was charged after later handing himself in at a Birmingham police station.

At the original hearing, Judge Cooke had asked: “Is he still saying he was ignorant of the fact that the DVLA had revoked his licence?” And Owens’ lawyer said he was.

Adjourning the case on that occasion, and granting Owens bail, the judge warned him: “Remember, you do not have a driving licence. You are not to get behind the wheel of a car.”

[dutchman]

Driver alleged to have killed OAP, 83, on M42 is behind bars after failing to appear in court



A DRIVER who cynically failed to turn up at court for a hearing over an allegation that he caused the death of a Coventry pensioner in a crash on the M42 is behind bars.

But the judge who jailed Tony Owens for failing to surrender to his bail at Warwick Crown Court was told he maintains his not guilty plea to causing death by dangerous driving.

So Judge Potter adjourned that case for a trial on a date to be fixed subject to the availability of witnesses, and remanded Owens (37) formerly of Charlbury Avenue, Fordbridge, Birmingham, in custody until then.

The case had been listed for trial at the beginning of January, but instead, at the request of Owens’ solicitor, it was listed for the charges to be put to him again.

But he failed to turn up, and Mark Nicholls, defending, confirmed that Owens was aware of the hearing, adding that he had tried to ring him, but his phone had gone to voice mail.

So the judge on that occasion issued a warrant for his arrest, and after it was executed Owens admitted failing to surrender to his bail and was jailed for six weeks.

Prosecutor Andrew Wilkins said Owens’ failure to turn up for a hearing for which Mr Goode’s relatives were at court was ‘in the highest, most cynical bracket.’

In relation to the driving charges, Mr Nicholls said he could no longer represent Owens, who was ‘adamant’ that he maintains his not guilty pleas.

Jailing Owens for his failure to attend the previous hearing, Judge Potter told him: “The family of Raymond Goode attended on that occasion.

“It doesn’t take any imagination to understand the added distress it would cause to them when you didn’t attend, and there was considerable frustration caused to the administration of justice.”

[dutchman]

Death crash driver jailed after killing Coventry OAP on M42



The family of an elderly man from Coventry who died after his car was hit on the M42 has said the family can move on now the driver has been sentenced.

Raymond Goode was a passenger in a Vauxhall Agila when the car was involved in a crash with a Peugeot 307 nearly two years ago.

The incident happened at around 8.50pm on August 19, 2017, on the southbound M42 between junctions 11 and 10 near to Granada Service Station.

Raymond died in the collision, while his wife was also seriously injured, and required extensive hospital treatment.

The Peugeot continued for around 300 yards before coming to a stop on the hard shoulder.

When officers arrived, the vehicle was empty and the driver - Tony Owens - had fled the scene.
Hid in woodland

Owens hid in nearby woodland until the next day, and when he handed himself at a police station in Birmingham the next day.

He tried to blame Mrs Goode, then aged 74, for the crash.

An extensive search of the area took place, and it was following a police appeal that Owens handed himself in.

He was arrested, and later charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance, failing to stop and failing to report a collision.

Owens later pleaded guilty to the offence. On Friday, he was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment with a 10 year and six month driving disqualification.

Previously, Owens failed to turn up for a court appearance.