Dog walker killed by distracted driver, court told

A woman was killed while walking her dog by a driver who failed to pay proper attention to the road, a court has heard. Megan Jones, 22, struck and killed Julia Pritchard as she crossed Boulevard de Villenave d’Ornon in Bridgend on September 15, 2023. It is alleged the defendant was not paying proper attention to the road as she drove home from work with her father in the passenger seat. A trial at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard Miss Pritchard was walking with her dog and stroller before she was hit by a Citroen car driven by Jones. CCTV footage of the fatal collision was played to the court. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter . The defendant, of Heol Llansantffraid, Sarn, Bridgend, has pleaded not guilty to a count of causing death by careless/inconsiderate driving. Prosecutor Josh Scouller said it was not the Crown's case that Jones was travelling in excess of the speed limit or driving erratically but she is alleged to have failed to pay proper attention to the road and failed to see Miss Pritchard. Following the incident a forensic collision investigator examined the defendant's Citroen and found damage on the driver's side of the car due to impact with Miss Pritchard. Mr Scouller described the scene of the collision as well-lit, a wide carriageway with no obstructions, and said it would have been "simply inconceivable" Jones would not have seen Miss Pritchard. Following the collision the defendant was interviewed by police and explained she had been watching the road but had not seen Miss Pritchard until the point of impact. She said she had been taking her father to the train station and claimed she had not been distracted in any way. Concluding his opening Mr Scouller said: "The issue is whether or not Miss Jones’ driving fell below that of a careful and competent driver. "Miss Jones says that despite paying attention to the road she simply did not see Miss Pritchard. "The Crown says that this cannot be true – had she been paying attention as she should have been she would have seen Miss Pritchard. "It defies the facts and common sense to suggest that she could not have seen her until the moment of impact." The trial continues. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice .