I was not driving on day of friend's fatal crash, man tells Shropshire court

Helmuts Punovskis denies causing death by dangerous driving by taking part in a high-speed race with his friend, Armands Ozolins, on rural roads in Shropshire.

Punovskis, 31, told the jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court that on the day of the crash he had been a passenger in his car, which was being driven by a friend, Liga Jaskova.

The crash occurred on Stump Lane, near Shifnal, in September 2012.

Speaking through a translator as he gave evidence yesterday, Punovskis said: "There was a white van on our side of the road, passing a horse. Liga turned the steering wheel to avoid it.

"When we got around it we went by a crossroads over a little hill and I looked around to see what had happened. All I could see was a white car crossing the road and I could see the top of the car. It seemed to be a little bit suspicious and I asked for the car to be stopped."

Punovskis started crying as he told the jury what he saw when he went over the slight hill.

He said: "I saw the horse lying on the ground then I heard loud music which was coming from the right side of me. I turned and saw the car.

"I went over to the car and opened the door. I could see Armands bleeding all over. I opened the seatbelt, and I was holding his head to make sure he didn't choke on his own blood."

Punovskis said he saw other people arrive and call the emergency services, then another man came over and took over holding Mr Ozolins' head.

He told the jury that he had gone back to his Volkswagen Passat, where Miss Jaskova was waiting, and had told her there had been a crash but that she should go as they had been on their way to collect her baby.

He then walked back to his place of work to try to borrow some money to pay for the surgery he expected Mr Ozolins would require.

In cross examination, Mr Hugh O'Brien Quinn suggested that Punovskis had been driving the car and was on his way to collect Miss Jaskova and her baby, but that he had lied as he is currently disqualified from driving.

Punovskis denied the suggestion, and said he did not think the car had been speeding or was being driven dangerously.

Mr Ozolins, 26, of Great Chatwell near Newport, suffered severe injuries before he died in hospital the next day.

The horse was also killed in the crash and the rider Wendy Garrett lost a finger and suffered serious cuts and bruises.

Punovskis, of Turreff Avenue in Donnington, denies death by dangerous driving and a count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The trial continues.