Smoke was pouring from Chukwuemeka Ahanonu’s BMW in the moments before his car flipped over
The collision happened moments before the attack on Nila Patel(Image: Leicester Media)
A man accused of murdering a total stranger outside the Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) after crashing his BMW had narrowly missed other people while driving through the city centre, a jury has heard.
Leicester Crown Court were today (Wednesday, February 25) shown CCTV footage of the journey Chukwuemeka Ahanonu took from Belvoir Street to the stretch of Aylestone Road where he crashed before attacking Nila Patel, a total stranger who had just got off a bus.
The jury was told that before he rolled his car outside the Tigers stadium, Ahanonu had an earlier collision on Welford Road.
It was that collision, into a high kerb at a bus stop, that smashed the steering arm on one side of his BMW, leading to the later collision.
CCTV from opposite the Welford Place buildings showed people waiting at the bus stop as Ahanonu’s white BMW came off Belvoir Street and headed down the three-lane section of Welford Road, swerving around.
The car swerved left toward the people at the bus stop but struck the pavement, causing the right side wheels to rise into the air. At that point on the road, the kerb is extra high to help people board buses.
Forensic collision investigator, PC Dan Jarvis of Leicestershire Police, told the jury: “The BMW appears to accelerate and the vehicle steers more to the left, toward the bus stop.
“When the nearside wheels hit the kerb there’s a roll effect sufficient to start the car to tip before righting itself due to the weight of the car.”
PC Jarvis then described how the BMW could be seen driving along Welford Road with smoke pouring from the front left tyre, which was at an angle because the steering was so badly damaged from the kerb impact.
He said: “The steering arm is no longer connected and there are parts of the suspension system that are no longer connected.”
Despite the damage, the vehicle carried on past HMP Leicester, crossed over onto the oncoming lanes of Aylestone Road outside the LRI, sped down the bus lane in the wrong direction and reached 49mph before crashing on a gentle right turn just before the Tigers stadium.
Pc Jarvis explained how the car, which Ahanonu had been able to steer adequately at slower speeds, could not be controlled once the right turn shifted the car’s weight onto the broken wheel.
Ahanonu was detained at the scene(Image: Leicester Media)
A clip from a bus CCTV camera showed a pedestrian crossing the road and reaching the central refuge opposite the Knighton Street junction before Ahanonu’s BMW ploughed into the railings and a traffic light on the refuge, flipping over after narrowly missing the pedestrian.
Pc Jarvis said: “It looks to be quite close to the pedestrian.”
Explaining how Ahanonu lost control of the car, he said: “The car tries to negotiate a right hand bend at 49mph.
“The weight transfers to the nearside wheel – with no steering in the wheel. It’s drifted wide. It’s not able to respond in the way the driver needed.
“There’s no control at this stage.”
He said it was clear from the other front wheel – which was still connected to the steering system – that Ahanonu was trying to turn right and avoid the collision with the traffic light and railing.
The jury watched the moment the BMW slammed into the traffic island and was flipped onto its roof several times.
Court previously heard that after the crash, Ahanonu got out of the car and ran, with no shoes on, up the centre of the road to attack Miss Patel from behind, punching her to the ground before stamping on her head, chest and neck.
She stopped breathing at the scene and was pronounced dead in hospital two days later.
Ahanonu, 25, of Dover Street, Leicester city centre, has admitted the manslaughter of Miss Patel but denies her murder. He has also admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply, assaulting a police officer by biting her and dangerous driving.
The trial continues.