A man accused of killing a WA police officer by driving over him in a stolen car, has admitted he may have unconsciously put his foot on the accelerator before he was tasered. Reagen Chown who is accused on manslaughter took the stand in his defence at his trial.
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00:00Regan Chowne was in a stolen car which had been stopped by police in Ascot in 2023 following a
00:08pursuit. Constable Anthony Woods was dragged under the car after it went into reverse. He died days
00:14later. Mr Chowne has claimed the car accelerated after he was tasered and he had no control.
00:21Taking the stand to give evidence, the 25-year-old admitted to lying to police about meth use and
00:26whether the car was stolen. Narcotics and drug abuse clouded my judgment, he said. Mr Chowne said
00:32a bright light lit up the car and then he was tasered. Mr Chowne said it was almost like your
00:37muscles were set on fire. He said he didn't have control of his legs or his arms. Mr Chowne told
00:43the court he didn't remember putting the car in reverse. Yet Prosecutor Justin Wally put it to
00:48Mr Chowne that the car was moving backwards at the point you were tasered. Do you accept that?
00:53He said he did. When Mr Chowne was asked if he might have put his foot on the accelerator
00:58before he was tasered, he said he didn't know. Unconsciously, I don't know, he said. He accepted
01:04he wasn't actually unconscious at the time but said he could not remember doing it. He was asked
01:09if it was possible and he said it was. Regan Chowne said he didn't remember Constable Woods telling
01:15him to stay where he was. He also said he didn't see the officer trapped between the car door and
01:21the body of the car because his eyes were shut. Closing submissions in the trial are expected
01:25to start on Monday.