Lecturer, 54, accused of killing woman, 65, and seriously injuring her husband in head-on car crash which happened ‘as he fiddled with his car radio’ says he ‘remembers nothing about it’, court hears
- Iestyn Jones, 54, of Tredegar, lost control driving near Ebbw Vale on July 6, 2020
- Shirley Culleton, 65, of Cwmbran, was a passenger in the car Jones hit, and died
- College lecturer Mr Jones says he has no memory of the moments before crash
- He admitted tuning his radio but denies causing death by dangerous driving
- The case continues at Newport Crown Court
A driver accused of killing a woman and seriously injuring her husband in a crash in south Wales told a court he ‘remembers nothing about it’.
College lecturer Iestyn Jones, 54, from Tredegar, is charged with causing death by dangerous driving after Shirley Culleton, 65, perished in the crash on the A4046 Cwm road, near Ebbw Vale, on July 6 last year.
Mrs Culleton was a passenger, driving with her husband Michael for a Saturday shopping trip when lecturer Jones’ Hyundai IX35 smashed into them.
Electronics lecturer Jones admitted earlier this week that he tuned the radio at some point – but insisted that this did not cause the crash.
He said: ‘It’s all a blur. I don’t remember nothing about it – there’s nothing there.’
‘I’m a really good driver. If I thought I had done this I would put my hands up. That’s why I’m here.’
Iestyn Jones, 54 (pictured) is accused of causing death by dangerous driving of Shirley Culleton, 65, in the head-on crash.Mrs Culleton was a passenger out driving with her husband for a Saturday drive when lecturer Jones’ Hyundai IX35 smashed into them.Laurence Jones, prosecuting, told the jury how Jones had been fiddling with his radio at the time of the crash
Shirley Culleton, 65, pictured right with husband Michael, died when lecturer Jones’ Hyundai IX35 smashed into her car last year
The court heard he became distracted as he took his eyes off the road and attempted to tune the car radio before swerving into the path of Mr and Mrs Culleton, who are from Cwmbran.
Laurence Jones, prosecuting, told the jury how Mr Jones had been fiddling with his radio at the time of the crash.
He said the defendant failed to steer for five seconds and even accelerated on the bend just before his car hit the couple’s red Suzuki Swift in the opposite lane.
Prosecutor Jones said: ‘Mr and Mrs Culleton were not the victims of an unavoidable accident.
‘Mrs Culleton’s death and Mr Culleton’s serious injuries were caused by the dangerous lack of attention by the defendant whilst driving along that road.
‘He was dangerously distracted from driving safely and failed to steer at all for a period of at least five seconds but continued to accelerate as his car entered and progressed through a gentle bend in that road.
‘This caused his vehicle to drift into the opposing lane.’
Mr Jones retorted: ‘I don’t fiddle with anything – I’m a professional person.’
Mrs Culleton died in the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff from her injuries the day after the collision which happened at around 1.20pm on Saturday, July 6, 2019.
The prosecutor added: ‘The defendant was to admit shortly after the collision to him being distracted as he took his eyes off the road and looked and fiddled with his car radio.
‘There was nothing Mr Culleton could do to avoid the collision.
‘Tragically, he was never to see his wife again after leaving the scene of the collision.’
Mr Culleton spent several weeks at Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital after suffering serious injuries, including a broken pelvis, fractured ribs and a laceration to his kidney.
Mr Jones, of Tafarnaubach, Tredegar, has pleaded not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.
He also denies causing serious injury to Mr Culleton by dangerous driving.
Electronics lecturer Jones admitted earlier this week that he tuned the radio at some point – but insisted that this did not cause the crash. Jones said: ‘It’s all a blur. I don’t remember nothing about it – there’s nothing there. I’m a really good driver. If I thought I had done this I would put my hands up. That’s why I’m here.’
Matthew Roberts, defending, said Mr Jones had ‘non insane automatism’ and was suffering from severe sleep apnea at the time of the crash.
Giving evidence at court in 2020, Dr Jose Thomas said it was discovered the defendant had a condition called severe obstructive sleep apnea.
In the years prior to the crash his symptoms were thought to be mild, and he explained patients can be unaware they are suffering with the condition.
Dr Thomas said: ‘The patient is not aware they are snoring.
‘When they are asleep the partner, and other family members, raise the issue. They are not aware of it.
‘They often wake up not realising.’
The trial is continuing at Newport Crown Court.
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