M1 hard shoulder death: Driver 'pulled over amid petrol money row'
- Published
Chloe Palmer, 19, suffered a brain injury in the crash and died six days later
A woman died in a crash on a motorway hard shoulder after her friend pulled over amid a row about petrol money, a court has heard.
Christalla Amphlett, 21, was "bickering" with one of her passengers as she drove a group home from a night out in Watford in November 2017, a jury was told.
Chloe Palmer, 19, died when another vehicle hit her car on the M1.
The defendant, from Edgware, denies causing death by dangerous driving.
Prosecutor Wayne Cleaver said her decision to stop unnecessarily in the early hours of 25 November made her "as responsible for the collision as the other driver was".
"This was not an emergency. This was young women bickering in a car and getting agitated and showing off," he said.
"Without her parking in that stupid position this would never have happened."
The man who was driving of the Isuzu D-Max that crashed into Ms Amphlett's Renault Twingo had already admitted offences related to causing death by dangerous driving, Mr Cleaver said.
'Cars swerved'
Having already stopped once to confront her passenger Maisie O'Flynn about petrol money, Ms Amphlett stopped again near junction 6 of the M1 for 17 minutes, the court was told.
The vehicle's lights were off, its hazard warning lights had not been activated and the motorway was not fully illuminated, as overhead gantry lights were not switched on, the jury heard.
The Renault was parked close to passing traffic and some drivers sounded their horns as a warning, while others had to swerve around Ms Amphlett's open door, Mr Cleaver said.
Ms Palmer suffered a severe brain injury and died in hospital six days later.
The defendant denies a second charge of causing injury by dangerous driving to Ms O'Flynn.
In a statement to police, Ms Amphlett, who also suffered a head injury and bone fractures, said she did not believe her driving was the cause of the collision, the court heard.
The trial continues.