A PARAMEDIC could not remember whether she was using her ambulance siren when she struck a pedestrian who later died, a court heard.

Faye Parson, 41, is standing trial at Chelmsford Crown Court on a charge of causing death by careless driving, after she hit 77-year-old dentist, Dr Michael Daly, while he was using a crossing on the A414 Main Road, Danbury, in February last year.

Miss Parson, of Church Street, Braintree, was attending an urgent call at the time, and the court heard how she was overtaking a queue of traffic on the opposite side of the road when she struck Dr Daly, who then collided with a queuing black transit van.

The ambulance had activated it’s blue lights, but the court heard Miss Parson told police she was unsure as to whether the siren had been activated.

The court heard a data processor inside the vehicle confirmed the siren was armed, but does not record whether it was on or off.

Eye-witness, Jason Marshall, was sitting in traffic as the accident unfolded.

Mr Marshall said: “I did not hear a siren. As it passed, I was looking out my side window. I was aware of the traffic built up in front, but I was not specifically aware of someone crossing at the time, but I was not looking for them. I had already pulled over, I checked my mirror to pull out and as I did, I looked ahead of me and witnessed the accident.”

Dr Daly, 77, had just finished his shift at the Oasis Care practice when he was struck at roughly 5.20pm.

He suffered head injuries, brain damage, a shattered bone in his neck, a lung puncture, and lost movement in his hands and the function of his right eye.

He was put in an induced coma but never regained consciousness.

Dr Daly died on June 3, after being airlifted to St George’s Hospital following the crash.

In his opening statement, Peter Clement, prosecuting, said: “The defendant is an experienced and qualified ambulance driver, who, when responding to an emergency call, drove without due care and attention, and as a result, she knocked down Michael Daly, a pedestrian who later died as a result. This case is a tragic illustration of the responsibility of all drivers, but in this case the responsibility of emergency service vehicles when responding to urgent calls and in particular the care which is required from them while driving.

“The care which is expected of a competent and careful driver, when, as Miss Parson was, driving in the wrong lane, overtaking traffic, and approaching a pedestrian crossing.

"This is the scenario we are concerned with. There is no doubt she was driving on this day, there is no doubt the vehicle she was driving collided with Mr Daly.

"The issue is whether Miss Parson’s driving fell below what could be expected of a careful and competent driver.”