Driver killed pedestrian while reversing van along narrow Leeds residential street in the dark, court told
Man struck by Renault builders van that had “blanked out” back window
A driver who attempted to reverse out of a a cul-de-sac drove over and killed a pedestrian, a jury has been told.
Uroy Randal, who was described as a “gentle soul” by his family, was tragically hit by the open-back Renault Master on Blakeney Road in Belle Isle on a dark evening in 2023.
Behind the wheel was Martin Rowse, who is standing trial at Leeds Crown Court this week having denied causing death by careless driving.
Opening the case for the Crown, Jeremy Barton said that 57-year-old Rowse had driven down to the end of the residential street at around 5.30pm on January 25, 2023, to pick up diesel fuel for a generator.
But rather than turn the vehicle around in the designated turning circle at the end of the street, he began to reverse, albeit slowly.
Mr Barton said the distance he needed to reverse was 188 metres - the length of almost two football fields. In addition, he said that the rear window of the vehicle had been blanked out, although the wing mirrors were positioned correctly.
At this time, Mr Randal had left his nearby home and was heading to a snicket towards the end of Blakeney Road, so was effectively walking towards the reversing van.
A witness said they “heard a bang” and saw the Renault’s rear wheels lift up and then drop down quickly, as it went over the 47-year-old’s body.
Footage from various home CCTV cameras were played to the court, showing the van heading into Blakeney Road, then reversing.
It captured the horrific moment Mr Randal went under the van’s wheels.
Rowse stopped and got out as the emergency services were called. Paramedics tried to save Mr Randal’s life, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at 6.11pm.
Paying tribute in the days that followed, his family said: “Uroy was a kind a gentle soul who wouldn’t hurt a fly. He loved animals, especially cats and dogs. He kept himself to himself and loved listening to music.”
Mr Barton told the jury: “You do not reverse that distance in those conditions in a truck like this.”
He said that the truck was roadworthy and that Rowse was neither intoxicated or on his phone at the time, but added: “A decision not to turn the vehicle was the careless act that caused this death that could have been avoided.”
He said that Mr Rowse was left “shellshocked” and “distraught” by the death but said it “did not detract” from the careless decision he took to reverse.
He added that his passenger could have even acted as a banksman by guiding him back down the street, but Rowse failed to do that.
The trial, which is expected to last three days, continues.