A driver knocked over and killed a cyclist in a revenge attack after the man accidentally clipped his wing mirror, a court has heard.
Sean Fitzgerald, 36, allegedly chased Paul Webb, 42, for 300 yards before he mounted the pavement and rammed him off his mountain bike.
Warwick Crown Court heard Fitzgerald ”used his car like a weapon” before he fled the scene of the crash in April last year leaving warehouse worker Paul for dead.
The court heard Fitzgerald was later seen hosing down the front of his silver Ford Focus and drove it to a mechanic for repair just hours after the crash.
James Burbidge QC. prosecuting, told the court Paul Webb was targeted after he damaged the nearside wing mirror on Fitzgerald’s car on April 16 last year.
He said: ”The defendant’s car had stopped directly behind a bin lorry which was on the road.
”Mr Webb cycled close to Mr Fitzgerald’s car and damaged the wing mirror. Mr Webb cycled onto the pavement and was shaking his right arm as if it was hurt.
”Mr Fitzgerald pursued Mr Webb and there was a collision. We say that was a deliberate act by Mr Fitzgerald.
”In effect Mr Fitzgerald pursued Mr Webb using his car as a weapon.”
Mr Webb was going home after finishing a morning shift at a Co-op warehouse in Keresley, Coventry, at 2pm on April 16 last year.
The court heard a brief chase ensued after Mr Webb knocked the wing mirror and Fitzgerald got out of his car to confront him.
But Paul Webb cycled off and, the jury was told, when Mr Fitzgerald next caught up with Mr Webb he rammed into the back of his bike.
Mr Burbidge said: ”Mr Webb was catapulted back into the windscreen before being catapulted again into into a set of wheelie bins and then a garden wall.”
He told the court that residents watched in horror as the force of the impact was so great Paul’s yellow and gold Muddy Fox mountain bike landed 25 yards away.
Paul died of massive internal injuries at the scene despite despite attempts to resuscitate him, including CPR from an air ambulance doctor.
Meanwhile. Fitzgerald drove back to his home and asked his neighbour if they knew anyone who could repair the car, the jury was told.
Mr Burbidge said: ”A neighbour saw the defendant with a watering hose bending down by the nearside of the car.
”We say he was attempting to remove evidence of what he had done.
”He then asked a neighbour: ‘I’ve just clipped someone, do you know where I can get it done?”
Fitzgerald handed himself into Stoney Stanton Police Station where he admitted colliding with Mr Webb.
He denies one charge of murder and another of causing death by dangerous driving.
The trial continues.
