US tourist 'hit accelerator rather than brake in fatal crash' near UK landmark
A court heard US tourist Cathy Stewart, 67, hit a woman who was sitting on a bench near the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland with her vehicle - the woman later died
An American tourist involved in a fatal crash near the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland hit the accelerator rather than the brake, a court heard today.
US resident Cathy Stewart, 67, appeared at Coleraine Magistrates' court charged with causing death by careless driving. A police officer told the court the collision, involving a grey Ford Transit vehicle, happened at the front of the Causeway Hotel in Bushmills at around 12.15pm on Wednesday.
The officer said a pedestrian who was sitting on a bench was hit during the crash. The Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and Ambulance Service personnel rushed to the scene of the collision. The pedestrian was taken to Causeway Hospital in Coleraine but sadly died of her injuries.
In court, the police officer said footage obtained from the hotel showed the vehicle being "parked in a disabled parking bay" before passengers departed, Belfast Live reports. The court heard that the footage shows the vehicle "move forward slowly" before it "suddenly bolts forward".
The deceased's brother, who was also sitting on the bench, managed to "jump out of the way" of the moving car, the court heard. The officer said Ms Stewart, who was cautioned at the scene, "gave an account consistent with the CCTV."
The driver told police she had "tried to apply the foot brake and hit the accelerator" and she "appeared remorseful" during interview, the officer said. The defendant said she had "never driven an electric or hybrid vehicle before" and had mistakenly believed the vehicle was "off".
The court was told the defendant said she had got back in to the car and was "feeling for the brake to stop the vehicle". A defence solicitor described the collision as a "tragic, tragic case" where a "simple error" has had "catastrophic consequences."
The solicitor read a portion of the defendant's interview with police, where Stewart had described herself as "just devastated". The solicitor told the court the defendant had said she "can't get that family out of my head" and that her "only thoughts are with that family".
The court heard the defendant had worked for decades as a special needs teacher, had no criminal record, and had never been involved in an at-fault collision before.
Bail was granted with a £5,000 cash surety with the judge describing it as "entirely disproportionate" to keep the defendant in custody or away from her home in the United States during what he said is expected to be a lengthy judicial process.
The case was listed again for July 1.
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