Car Mum Accused Of Mowing Down Cyclist And Demolishing Salon During 'Road Rage' Row

A mum with a car full of children mounted the pavement and deliberately ran over an autistic cyclist during a "road rage" row, also demolishing the front of a beauty salon in the process, a court heard today.

Natalie Pyne, 31, was driving at least four youngsters in her powerful three-litre Audi Q7, which weighs over three metric tonnes, when she cut-up Simon Edgely, causing him to bump into the rear of her vehicle.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard Mr. Edgely kicked the car twice and the pair had a screaming match in the middle of the busy road.

"She got back in and chose to drive deliberately, in anger, at Mr. Edgely and drove into him, knocking him off his bike, with the car carrying on and ploughing into the shop," said prosecutor Mr. James Lofthouse.

A witness saw the cyclist rolling over the bonnet of the white Audi and heard Pyne shouting: "Shut up" at her crying children after the car came to rest in the £20,000 wreckage of Park Salon, Park Road, Kingston-upon-Thames.

She had just left a park, where the children had been playing, at approximately 5.30pm on June 7, last year, when Mr. Edgely, who was wearing a badge indicating his disability, bumped into Pyne when she suddenly pulled out.

"What happened was a road rage incident," explained Mr. Lofthouse. "Mr. Edgely remonstrated and kicked her vehicle and she got out and remonstrated with him."

A woman driving behind, Frances Teague, told the court: "The driver got out and they were shouting with hands flinging at each other, but there was no contact.

"The lady got back in and the cyclist was leaning down and shouting through the window and kicked the passenger side of the car. He then got on his bike and cycled off on the pavement.

"The Audi was revving and just zoomed off in the same direction as the cyclist. It shot off quickly and turned to the left very fast.

"I saw the cyclist's head and then it disappeared. A parked van juddered as if it had been hit and the car went straight into the building."

Fortunately Mr. Edgely was not seriously injured. "He was up and walking around in a daze. He was agitated."

Mr. Lofthouse told the jury: "By driving at him deliberately and knocking him off she intended to cause Mr. Edgely very serious harm.

"By driving into the front of the salon she was reckless about the collateral damage and her driving over that short period was very dangerous indeed.

"She also caused substantial damage to a silver Mercedes Sprinter van that was parked."

When questioned by police Pyne claimed it was an accident outside of her control.

"She said she had children in the car and was panicking because the car would not start and an involuntary motion caused it to lurch onto the pavement.

"The lurch onto the pavement was not caused by an involuntary movement of the car," said Mr. Lofthouse. "She got back into the car, in anger, the red mist descended and she chose to drive into Mr. Edgely."

Pyne has pleaded not guilty to attempting to cause Mr. Edgely grievous bodily harm, with intent; dangerous driving and criminal damage.

Trial continues……………