A drunk driver is accused of deliberately swerving his Mercedes into a cyclist, causing fatal injuries, after the victim allegedly insulted him. David Morgan, 40, is on trial at Norwich Crown Court for the murder and manslaughter of Richard Smith, 50.
The incident occurred on May 8 in Norwich. The court heard that Morgan had consumed approximately four pints of lager before picking up his two children from primary school. Shortly after 5 p.m., while driving, Morgan encountered Smith, who was cycling home from work.
Prosecutor Charles Myatt told the court that Morgan was driving along Chartwell Road when he collided with Smith. "It's the crown's case that the collision was a deliberate act by David Morgan and was possibly done by some perceived slight he had suffered from Mr Smith moments before," Myatt stated. The collision resulted in Smith being thrown from his bicycle and suffering severe head injuries, despite wearing a helmet. He died in hospital three days later.
Witnesses reported seeing Morgan deliberately swerve his vehicle towards Smith. CCTV footage from a pub showed Morgan drinking at the Sole and Heel pub from 12:30 p.m. until around 3 p.m. He then left to collect his children and later returned to the pub with them.
Ten minutes before the collision, a witness driving on the same road reported hearing the cyclist shout at the Mercedes driver, calling him "a dhead or khead." As the traffic lights turned green, the cyclist proceeded ahead, and the witness saw the Mercedes appear to overtake her. She then observed the Mercedes move quickly to the left and drive at the cyclist. Another witness driving in the opposite direction saw the Mercedes driver gesturing at the cyclist.
Following the collision, Morgan was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He admitted to driving and stated that the cyclist had hit his wing mirror and called him a "d***head" while his children were in the car. Breathalyzer tests showed Morgan had 57mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 35mg.
Dashcam and other video footage, along with a recorded phone conversation from after the incident, appear to contradict Morgan's initial statements. In the recording, Morgan is heard saying, "I said 'F*** you, you c***' and swerved into him. He's moved, hit the kerb and gone flying… I swerved into him and went 'Fuck you'… and he's knocked off." The prosecution contends this conversation clearly demonstrates Morgan deliberately swerved his Mercedes into Mr. Smith. The trial is ongoing.