Motorist pleads not guilty to dangerous driving after van smashed through barrier at level crossing 'one minute' before arrival of Belfast-bound train
A Motorist has pleaded not guilty to a charge of dangerous driving after a van crashed through a barrier at a level crossing a minute before a Belfast-bound train arrived.
Details were given to Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena. Martin McDowell (44), of Donegall Avenue in Belfast, is charged with dangerous driving and failing to stop, remain and report a collision on Monday September 1 last year.
An earlier court was told a Ford Transit van had failed to "stop in time", causing damage to a barrier at a railway crossing at Ballyrobin Road at Templepatrick. Translink had CCTV of the incident.
The court was told a van approached as the barrier began to lower. The van "brakes hard" but had driven into the crossing. The van "took off the barrier" in the collision.
The barrier was propelled onto a road side fence and the windscreen of the van was smashed in the collision.
The court had been told: "The van is at a complete stop, parked in the yellow-boxed area of the crossing. The driver proceeds to cross and is clear of the crossing" and "drives away from the area slowly. A Belfast-bound train arrives one minute after the van clears the crossing."
The defendant was at the same court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving. He is also charged with failing to stop, remain and report a collision.
The defendant told Tuesday's court it had been a "freak accident" and added: "It was a bad day, very windy. A branch came off a tree. It was blowing towards the side of the road. I took my eye towards it."
He said the van's load was carrying a "bit of weight" and because of that the vehicle "just wouldn't stop by the time I saw the barrier" coming down. He hit brakes and collided with the barrier and was "on the railroad".
He said the barrier was on the roof of the vehicle and he "moved the vehicle over onto the road off the tracks. I had to drive off the track."
District Judge Nigel Broderick said: "So after you left the train probably passed as normal?" and the defendant replied: "Yes".
The defendant said he moved the van around 30 yards and "had a look around me". He said he had no way "to contact anyone" and was intending to report it later.
He said he was close to a "job" he was working on and had gone on to it. The case has been adjourned to May 19 to fix a date for a contest.