Brierley crash: Power walker 'killed by speeding lorry'
- Published
Jacqueline Wileman, 58, was run down by a lorry moments before it ploughed in to a house, Sheffield Crown Court heard
A power walker was knocked down and killed by a stolen lorry travelling at more than 60mph, a court has heard.
Jacqueline Wileman, 58, died when she was hit by the vehicle in Brierley, near Barnsley, moments before it ploughed into a house in September.
Prosecutor Jason Pitter QC told Sheffield Crown Court the lorry, which was being followed by police, left a scene of "utter carnage".
Three men deny causing Mrs Wileman's death by dangerous driving.
Prosecutors say David Mellor, 48, Wayne Carroll, 29, and Alan Mawhinney, 53, were in the cab of the lorry together with 23-year-old Karn Hill, who jurors were told has pleaded guilty to causing Mrs Wileman's death.
Mr Pitter told the court the truck was travelling at at least twice the 30mph speed limit and was on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash on 14 September.
He told the jury that Mrs Wileman had been power-walking near her home, adding it was her desire to maintain her fitness that "tragically and ironically led to her death".
The barrister said: "She was dragged along the road causing extensive injuries and she was immediately killed, such was the speed and dangerous way the vehicle was being driven.
"It's tempting to say this was simply a case of Mrs Wileman being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but that would be to mistake the reality.
"She was exactly where she should have been. It was these defendants, along with Mr Hill, who were doing the wrong thing in the wrong place at the wrong time."
'Fast and aggressive'
The court heard Mr Mellor had taken the tractor unit from his employers and, on the day of the crash, police had spotted it being driven dangerously around the area and had decided to follow, but not chase it.
He said the truck then appeared to drive in a "fast and aggressive way".
Mr Mellor, of Bank End Road, Worsbrough Dale, Mr Carroll, of Chestnut Street, Grimethorpe, and Mr Mawhinney, of Calder Crescent, Kendray, all deny causing death by dangerous driving
Mr Carroll and Mr Mawhinney also deny a charge of aggravated vehicle taking.
Hill, of East View, Cudworth, has admitted causing death by dangerous driving.