A witness has told a jury he saw a car deliberately driven at Daniel Ambler at a Seaham petrol station, with the occupants fleeing the scene after the collision. Daniel Ambler, 22, died following the incident at the Esso Asda Express Service Station in Seaham, County Durham, on January 15.
Teesside Crown Court heard how a Nissan car was deliberately driven at him, hitting him, and continued to crash into the petrol station shop. Matthew Donkin KC, prosecuting, said Daniel was crushed and died immediately.
Witness Account of the Collision
Daniel Miller, who was filling up his car at the pump, told the jury on Wednesday he saw a man being struck by a car, which showed no sign of slowing down. He said: "The chap got struck from behind and the car sort of pushed the person into the front of the shop area, into the garage. Then the car came to a stop."
Mr Miller described seeing three people run from the car after it stopped: "One female in the passenger side of the car, one male in the driver side of the car and one male in the back of the car." He described the driver, who he estimated was 5ft 10 and pale, as looking like "a rabbit in headlights".
He said the driver looked directly at him for three to four seconds with "not much emotion on his face" before running. Mr Miller estimated the car was travelling at between 30 to 40mph and saw no sign of the vehicle braking or slowing before impact.
Aftermath and Prior Violence
Mr Miller told the court he reached into the car, took the handbrake off, and moved the vehicle back so he could check on the injured man. He shook the person to see if there was a response and checked their pulse, but there was no sign of life.
Prior to the collision, Mr Miller said he saw people fighting with a hammer while he was filling his car. He described seeing "one person had a hammer and the other people didn't and the person with the hammer was giving blows to the person who was half on the floor". He also recalled seeing a group of people near the Mallard pub, describing them as "hooded characters" that looked like "a dodgy congregation of people".
Prosecution Case and Defendants
The court previously heard how the alleged attack began at a bus stop, with Daniel Ambler running away before being chased, assaulted, and injured. Mr Donkin said the five defendants "arrived as a team" and "targeted" Daniel, with the attack relating to an "ongoing feud" between families.
The five defendants - Barry Anderson, 52, of Canon Cockin Street, Sunderland; Ashton Anderson, 20, of Noble Street, Peterlee; Barry Logan Anderson, 19, of Shotton Bank, Hartlepool; Ajay Henry, 18, of Melrose Crescent, Seaham; and Tyler Leadbetter, 18, of Elgin Avenue, Seaham - all deny murder. Ashton Anderson has admitted violent disorder.
Mr Donkin said Ashton Anderson was driving the car, with Ajay Henry and Tyler Leadbetter as passengers in the back. Barry Anderson and his brother Logan Anderson were a short distance away on foot, having been involved in the initial violence. The prosecutor said Logan Anderson had chased Daniel from the bus stop towards the petrol station forecourt and attacked him with a weapon. The trial continues.
