A lorry driver was allegedly playing a game on his mobile phone when he ploughed into a queue of stationary traffic and killed a grandfather-of-five, a court has heard.
Christopher Cooke, 55, was allegedly distracted by the "Chief Almighty" app when his HGV went into the back of a Citroen van driven by Paul Cobbold. Mr Cobbold, 53, died as a result of multiple injuries from the incident on the A14 eastbound at Beyton, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on March 30, 2023.
Court denies distraction
Cooke appeared at Ipswich Crown Court this week to deny being distracted by the game at the time of the collision. He said he had last played it before leaving his yard for the journey on March 30, 2023.
Carolyn Gardiner, prosecuting, accused Cooke of failing to react to brake lights and hazard warning lights of vehicles in front of him indicating that traffic was slowing down. Miss Gardiner claimed Cooke was driving at 53mph before braking harshly and striking the rear offside of Mr Cobbold's van.
Collision details
The van rotated and collided with a stationary Mercedes HGV in front. Another driver later described hearing what sounded like thunder as Cooke's lorry collided with the central barrier and overturned, leaving it straddled across two lanes.
Miss Gardiner added: "There was no reason for him (Cooke) to collide with the back of Mr Cobbold's van and we say he didn't have his eyes on the road in front of him."
The court heard that Cooke denied being distracted by the "Chief Almighty" game at the time of the collision and said he had last played it before leaving his yard. He also denied shutting the game down after the collision.
Legal proceedings
"Chief Almighty" is a stone-age based strategy game where players must act as a tribal leader in a world filled with dinosaurs.
Cooke, of Bury St Edmunds, has denied causing death by dangerous driving. The jury was told he has admitted a less serious charge of causing death by careless driving.
In a tribute shortly after his death, Mr Cobbold's family said: "Paul was a gentle giant, funny, sarcastic, loving and dependable to all his family and friends, but most of all, he was our hero."
The trial continues.
