'Man crashed taxi by grabbing steering wheel' Plymouth jury told AN ABUSIVE passenger grabbed the steering wheel of a moving taxi and caused it to crash into a bus stop, a jury was told.
Joseph Dezell, aged 22, yanked the wheel when the driver threatened to take the man and his friends to the police station, a court heard.
The taxi swerved so that its wing mirror hit the pole of a bus stop.
Dezell then chased the driver around the Volkswagen Passat, Plymouth Crown Court heard.
He is on trial after pleading not guilty to three charges after the incident on April 26.
Dezell, of Southside Street, the Barbican, denied causing danger to road users by interfering with a motor vehicle.
He further denies causing criminal damage to the taxi either deliberately or recklessly.
He also pleaded not guilty to causing criminal damage to a bus stop post.
Richardo Childs, opening the trial for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Taxifirst driver Marian Gheorge picked up Dezell, another man and two women from Armada Street in Greenbank at about 3am.
He added that, as the car headed towards Central Park, the two men started to “interfere” with the driver.
Dr Childs said the driver threatened to take the group to the police station and turned the car around in Alma Road, Milehouse.
He added: “The defendant leans forward through the gap between the two front seats, grabs the wheel and yanks it down so the car pulls to the left.”
Dr Childs said the taxi’s wing mirror hit a bus stop pole and Mr Gheorge stopped the vehicle.
The court heard that police arrived and arrested Dezell at the scene after the driver pointed him out.
Mr Gheorge said the two men were “pushing me and slapping me over the head”.
He added that he stopped and told the group to get out but carried on driving when they refused to get out and pledged to stop their behaviour.
But Mr Gheorge said they carried on pushing and slapping him.
He added: “I turned the car around and said if they did not cut it out, I would go to the police station. They started shouting at me to turn the car around again.
“He jumped from behind me and grabbed hold of the wheel and would not let go. I tried to brake but I was too late.”
Mr Gheorge said the man sat in the middle of the rear seats had grabbed the wheel.
He added he stopped the car and the man chased him around the car while swearing and shouting abuse.
Mr Gheorge said: “He shouted ‘smelly stranger’ or something like that.”
The trial continues.
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