“I was shocked and scared,” an eyewitness told a jury about a motorcyclist’s driving before he allegedly caused the death of an elderly woman.

Lawrence Tozer, 26, of no fixed abode, is facing one count of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving while under the influence of cannabis at Reading Crown Court this week.

Reading woman Brigid Ita Guidera, 76, was crossing the A329 Wokingham Road at Cemetery Junction in Reading just before 11am on May 23, 2020, when she was allegedly hit by Tozer’s blue and white Yamaha motorcycle. 

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A 12-strong jury was sworn on Monday (February 20) for the trial which is expected to last one week.

Prosecutor Ian Hope said multiple eyewitnesses saw Tozer, who was 23 at the time, riding his motorcycle at high speeds on the 30mph road prior to the incident as well as overtaking a number of drivers.

One witness, who gave evidence in court on Tuesday (February 21) said he saw Tozer overtake him on Kings Road prior to the junction.

He told the court that the manner of Tozer’s driving ‘scared’ him and his family who were in the car at the time.

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“I was checking my rear-view mirror consistently,” he said. “It took me by surprise. I heard loud sounds but I couldn’t understand what was happening but then suddenly I saw a motorbike overtaking me on the lefthand side in the bus lane.

“I think it was definitely going more than my speed at about 37 to 40mph. It was so quick and unexpected.

“I was with my family and I was shocked and scared by how it was [driving]. I was scared and frustrated at what was happening.”

The eyewitness said after the motorbike passed him he had focused on driving and ‘calming down’ his wife and young son.

He later noticed ‘someone laying on the floor’ but he couldn’t give it his full attention due to driving at the time.

Defending Tozer, James McCrindell suggested the eyewitness had incorrectly suggested Tozer had overtaken him using the bus lane and was actually driving at about 30mph.

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This is due to the eyewitness’ telling police soon after the incident that he ‘couldn’t be sure’ of what had happened.

“I still believe I was overtaken on the lefthand side,” the eyewitness said. He added that the motorbike could not have been going 30mph as that was his speed and he was overtaken.

The trial continues.