Stoned driver sped through red light and killed couple

A stoned driver who jumped a red light and killed a ‘laughing’ couple on a pedestrian crossing has been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

The horror crash in the town centre of Basildon, Essex, fatally injured Carli Scott , 30, and Dean Evans , 35.

Basildon Crown Court heard how the pair, who both lived in the town, were walking across a 30mph limited road when a green crossing light was illuminated.

As they crossed the road Ashley Deadman ploughed into them at a speed witness Sara Cressy estimated to be ‘at least 50 or 60mph’.

After jumping the light she said she saw what ‘looked like a pile of clothes fly into the air then hit the floor’.

The court heard welder Deadman did not stop or swerve and told cops he thought he had struck one person – despite the pair making it five metres across the road.

He tearfully told an officer at the scene: ‘I remember hitting one, I didn’t realise there was two.’

Deadman gave a no comment interview when quizzed by cops, but later admitted causing death by careless driving.

However this was rejected by jurors, who today found him guilty of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

The killer now faces a lengthy prison sentence and could be locked up for 14 years.

Prosecutor Chris Paxton told the jury of six men and six women Deadman, 28, drove the Volkswagen Passat whilst impaired through cannabis.

Deadman was driving when he hit Carli Scott, 30, (left) and her 35-year-old boyfriend Dean Evans (right) 

It is unclear when he took the Class B drug but a road side test came back positive, as did a blood sample.

Deadman, who wore a dark suit and tie, sat unemotionally behind the reinforced glass of the dock whilst Mr Paxton addressed the court packed with family members.

They heard the Laindon, in Essex, man also only had one working headlight on the night of the crash, which happened at roughly 8.45pm.

Recalling the tragic events of March 22 in 2016 the barrister said: ‘The defendant Mr Deadman drove his car dangerously and in doing so caused the death of two people Miss Carli Scott and Mr Dean Evans.

‘They died as they crossed a pedestrian crossing, with the green crossing light in their favour.

‘In other words the defendant Mr Deadman drove through a red light.

‘But the danger is not just that the defendant drove through the red light, but that he did so at speed with one of his head lights not working.

‘Further there is evidence he had cannabis in his system at the time of driving, at the time of the incident.’

He added: ‘The effect of cannabis on a person’s ability to drive are well documented and it is our case the defendant Mr Deadman was impaired by cannabis and it affected him.

‘The cannabis that was detected in that test and blood explains in part why he, Mr Deadman, simply did not see the red light that others saw or in fact there were two pedestrians crossing from his right to his left.’

Police officers and paramedics rushed to the scene and tried to save the pair – but Carli died at the scene and her boyfriend passed away in hospital.

Mr Paxton told the court witness John Ferdinand who stopped at the crossing recalled the tragic pair were: ‘Walking in a normal manner and could hear them chatting and laughing.’

Speaking after the verdicts were returned, Sergeant Peter Swan , of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: ‘It was always our belief that Ashley Deadman drove dangerously.

‘A pedestrian crossing should be a safe haven for people crossing the road.

‘Deadman did not alter his speed on his approach to it and drove through a red light at a minimum speed of 45mph with cannabis in his system.

‘He did not even see Carli and Dean until he struck them.

‘By pleading not guilty, he has forced their families to hear harrowing evidence and relive the tragic events of that evening.

‘I would like to thank the investigation team who worked hard to bring this case to court.

‘But most importantly I also want to pay tribute to Dean and Carli’s families, who have shown great courage and dignity throughout the investigation and trial.

‘My thoughts are very much with them.’