Driver asked witness to remove drugs from his car and drive him away while mate was dying, court told
A DISQUALIFIED and unregistered driver who caused a crash that killed a friend asked a witness to remove drugs from his car and drive him away from the scene, a court has heard.
A DISQUALIFIED and unregistered driver who caused a crash that killed a friend asked a witness to remove drugs from his car and drive him away from the scene, a court has heard.
Peter Scott, 26, of no fixed address, is charged with causing the death of Alex Taylor, 20, by dangerous driving in a two-car crash at the corner of Waterloo Corner and Heaslip roads at Burton just before 6.30am on Tuesday.
He has also been charged with driving while disqualified and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Opposing bail on Wednesday, prosecutors told the Elizabeth Magistrates Court a witness had seen Scott veer on to the wrong side of the road and crash with a silver Ford Falcon.
Mr Taylor, of Paralowie, was a passenger in the black Jeep that Scott was driving and was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred.
Prosecutors say the witness approached Scott, who appeared in court with two scratches to the left side of his face, and that he asked her to remove “drugs from his vehicle and then drive him away from the scene”.
Mr Taylor died at the scene.
Scott is due to appear on a drug-driving matter before the courts later this month.
The court heard Scott’s license was suspended at the time of the crash from overdue fines and he had just finished serving a suspended jail sentence on charges of affray and property damage.
His offending history also included two separate driving disqualifications and a drive without due care offence from 2007.
Scott’s lawyer, Mark Twiggs, said his client had the presumption of bail.
“There is a slight veer on to the wrong side of the road, there is no suggestion of drink-driving or speed,” he said.
Mr Twiggs said Scott’s license had been disqualified because of a confusion over paying his fines and not due to a disregard for their seriousness.
The driver of the Falcon, 57, of Paralowie, was taken to Lyell McEwin Hospital with non life-threatening injuries after the crash.
He has given a statement claiming Scott veered on to the wrong side of the road and he could not evade a collision.
Magistrate Bob Harrap refused bail, citing the seriousness of the crime, Scott’s pending drug-driving matter and his history of offending.
Police have said they are still investigating whether speed, drugs and alcohol were factors in the crash.
Scott will next appear in court in December.