A PENSIONER has appeared in court accused of causing serious injury to a fellow driver in a West Cumbria crash.
Mohammad Ramzan, 71, faces one charge which arises out of a collision involving two vehicles on July 30 last year. This occurred at around 1pm at Fitz Cottage roundabout, and resulted in sections of the A66 and A595 near Cockermouth being closed in both directions for several hours.
Ramzan appeared at Carlisle Crown Court earlier today (TUES) over a Skype video link.
During a 20-minute hearing, he pleaded not guilty to one charge which alleges that he caused serious injury to Angela Austin by driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee dangerously.
Ramzan is now due to stand trial in front of a jury at the crown court. It is estimated his trial with last three to four days, and is set to get under way on January 11 next year.
Judge Nicholas Barker directed that a further hearing, to review the progress of the case, should be heard at the court in August. In the meantime Ramzan, of Lonsdale Court, Whitehaven, remains on bail.
An ambulance service spokeswoman had said in the aftermath of the crash that an injured woman had been airlifted to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.
