A motorist accused of causing the death of a 61-year-old pedestrian watching the recovery of a car from an earlier accident has told a jury he believed it was safe to pass a lorry on the inside.
Sajjad Munawar told Preston Crown Court he was then "shocked" to suddenly see people standing behind the recovery lorry.
He braked but collided with Michael Parker who was standing on the footpath of the A677 Preston New Road at Mellor Brook.
M
r Parker died of his injuries at the scene, just before dawn on a morning in November of 2006.
The defendant, 28, then of Deepdale Road, Preston, told the jury he had come to the UK in January of that year to train as a First Officer in the Pakistan Merchant Navy.
The court has heard that a BMW had earlier left the road and ended up in a garden. It was being recovered when Munawar came on the scene driving his Vauxhall Astra.
He said he was travelling at about the 50mph speed limit, possibly slightly faster.
The defendant said he saw the flickering lights on the recovery vehicle. At first he thought he could pass the lorry on the right-hand side of the road but then saw the headlights of oncoming vehicles.
To avoid a head-on collision he decided to go on the inside of the recovery vehicle.
Asked by defence counsel Richard Clews if he could see any pedestrians at the rear of the vehicle he replied he could not. "They were standing right at the back, I could not see them", he added.
He denies an allegation of causing death by dangerous driving.
It is expected the jury will be asked to consider their verdict later today.
(Proceeding)
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