Post by CandyKANE on Dec 5, 2002 8:41:23 GMT -5
Driver danced naked in street, court is told
Witnesses say accused then used his car to ram three others before police got him
Tuesday December 3, 2002
DIANNE WOOD
RECORD STAFF
KITCHENER -- A young man who rammed his purple Cavalier into several vehicles along a Waterloo road last winter was dancing, naked, in the street, a witness testified yesterday.
Shane Green told Kitchener's Superior Court that Clifford Harvey was "waving his arms and dancing around'' on a cold February night on University Avenue, near Northfield Drive.
Harvey, 22, has pleaded not guilty to impaired driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, failing to stop for police and mischief for kicking out the rear window of a police cruiser.
The Crown alleges that on Feb. 28 Harvey hit two vehicles on University Avenue, near Northfield Drive, before taking off at high speed towards Bridge Street, where he collided with a stopped vehicle at the intersection, causing two other vehicles to crash into each other.
Green, 24, came along University Avenue to find Harvey's purple car stopped diagonally on the road, engine running. Green then described the bizarre behaviour he witnessed.
"He was waving his arms and dancing around. He was doing a dance, like he was at a rave -- very free,'' Green said. "He was naked.''
Green rolled down his window and asked if he was all right, and if he was cold.
"He told me, 'No,' he was warm,'' Green said. "He didn't seem all there.''
His eyes were bloodshot and red, Green said.
As Green called police on his cell phone, the naked man tried to get in his van, but Green locked the doors. Harvey then "tried to have sex with the front of the van,'' Green said. "He was rubbing against the front of my van. He laid down and had sex with the pavement, kind of pushing up against the pavement.''
Harvey then switched from being "very happy to being very mean and angry-looking,'' Green said. He jumped into his car, reversed and hit a Saturn, trying to push it out of the way.
Branko Gilezam, who was heading along University Avenue with her son, said Harvey hit the Saturn several times, "like bumper cars,'' pushing it into a ditch.
She was terrified because Harvey then crossed the median and came towards her from the opposite side of the road. He hit the front end of her car and bounced off. He was naked behind the wheel, she said.
"He certainly was enjoying whatever he was doing,'' she said. "He had a smile on his face.''
A cruiser arrived, and Harvey took off towards Bridge Street. Police chased him, red lights flashing.
At the Bridge Street intersection, Harvey smashed into a silver Honda Civic carrying Wayne Elliott, 55, and his son, Adam, 29. They were heading home from the family business in Brampton, just after 7 p.m. The weather was fine, the intersection well-lit.
"All of a sudden, out of nowhere, there was an amazing impact,'' Wayne Elliott said. "The car was moving around like a tilt-a-whirl at a carnival. I didn't know if we'd been hit by something, or a bomb went off.''
The entire front end of his Honda was pushed back towards the driver's compartment.
Wayne Elliott received seven broken ribs, a damaged sternum and a collapsed lung. He was in hospital eight days, several of those in intensive care.
As a result of the crash, he developed a fear of suffocation and visited a psychiatrist for help to deal with the panic of not being able to breathe.
Adam Elliott broke several bones in his foot and two fingers. He had chipped teeth, bruised ribs and cuts to his legs.
Several witnesses agreed with defence lawyer Steve Gehl that there was no obvious reason for Harvey's behaviour, which seemed deliberate. None of the motorists knew him.
Through his lawyer, Harvey admitted his driving was dangerous and that the injuries he caused constituted bodily harm. His defence will be revealed later this week.
Police finally wrestled Harvey into a cruiser where he kicked out a rear window with his bare feet. The trial continues today before Justice Donald Gordon.
Witnesses say accused then used his car to ram three others before police got him
Tuesday December 3, 2002
DIANNE WOOD
RECORD STAFF
KITCHENER -- A young man who rammed his purple Cavalier into several vehicles along a Waterloo road last winter was dancing, naked, in the street, a witness testified yesterday.
Shane Green told Kitchener's Superior Court that Clifford Harvey was "waving his arms and dancing around'' on a cold February night on University Avenue, near Northfield Drive.
Harvey, 22, has pleaded not guilty to impaired driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, failing to stop for police and mischief for kicking out the rear window of a police cruiser.
The Crown alleges that on Feb. 28 Harvey hit two vehicles on University Avenue, near Northfield Drive, before taking off at high speed towards Bridge Street, where he collided with a stopped vehicle at the intersection, causing two other vehicles to crash into each other.
Green, 24, came along University Avenue to find Harvey's purple car stopped diagonally on the road, engine running. Green then described the bizarre behaviour he witnessed.
"He was waving his arms and dancing around. He was doing a dance, like he was at a rave -- very free,'' Green said. "He was naked.''
Green rolled down his window and asked if he was all right, and if he was cold.
"He told me, 'No,' he was warm,'' Green said. "He didn't seem all there.''
His eyes were bloodshot and red, Green said.
As Green called police on his cell phone, the naked man tried to get in his van, but Green locked the doors. Harvey then "tried to have sex with the front of the van,'' Green said. "He was rubbing against the front of my van. He laid down and had sex with the pavement, kind of pushing up against the pavement.''
Harvey then switched from being "very happy to being very mean and angry-looking,'' Green said. He jumped into his car, reversed and hit a Saturn, trying to push it out of the way.
Branko Gilezam, who was heading along University Avenue with her son, said Harvey hit the Saturn several times, "like bumper cars,'' pushing it into a ditch.
She was terrified because Harvey then crossed the median and came towards her from the opposite side of the road. He hit the front end of her car and bounced off. He was naked behind the wheel, she said.
"He certainly was enjoying whatever he was doing,'' she said. "He had a smile on his face.''
A cruiser arrived, and Harvey took off towards Bridge Street. Police chased him, red lights flashing.
At the Bridge Street intersection, Harvey smashed into a silver Honda Civic carrying Wayne Elliott, 55, and his son, Adam, 29. They were heading home from the family business in Brampton, just after 7 p.m. The weather was fine, the intersection well-lit.
"All of a sudden, out of nowhere, there was an amazing impact,'' Wayne Elliott said. "The car was moving around like a tilt-a-whirl at a carnival. I didn't know if we'd been hit by something, or a bomb went off.''
The entire front end of his Honda was pushed back towards the driver's compartment.
Wayne Elliott received seven broken ribs, a damaged sternum and a collapsed lung. He was in hospital eight days, several of those in intensive care.
As a result of the crash, he developed a fear of suffocation and visited a psychiatrist for help to deal with the panic of not being able to breathe.
Adam Elliott broke several bones in his foot and two fingers. He had chipped teeth, bruised ribs and cuts to his legs.
Several witnesses agreed with defence lawyer Steve Gehl that there was no obvious reason for Harvey's behaviour, which seemed deliberate. None of the motorists knew him.
Through his lawyer, Harvey admitted his driving was dangerous and that the injuries he caused constituted bodily harm. His defence will be revealed later this week.
Police finally wrestled Harvey into a cruiser where he kicked out a rear window with his bare feet. The trial continues today before Justice Donald Gordon.