Elderly woman, 81, killed after cyclist sent her ‘FLYING’ on towpath

A cyclist killed an 81-year-old woman after he crashed into her while trying to overtake her as she walked with a friend along the River Thames towpath in Oxford, a court has heard. 

THE HEAVY HIT

Polly Friedhoff was ‘practically catapulted’ into the air when she was hit from behind by Edward Bressan, 56, jurors were told. 

She suffered serious injuries to the head, arms and ribs and died in hospital 12 days after the crash. 

COURT HEARD

Bressan, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of ‘causing bodily harm by wanton or furious driving,’ an offence under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.

The prosecution says the cyclist was ‘reckless’ and told the jury ‘the case concerns the nature of Mr Bressan’s driving of his bicycle’.

BRESSAN’S STORY

Bressan, who went on trial at Oxford Crown Court on Monday claims he rang his bell to signal his presence, but she accidentally moved into his path and the pair collided.

Jurors were told that Mrs Friedhoff was walking with her friend Ewa Huggins near Iffley Lock on November 20, 2022 when the collision occurred at 12.40pm.

Opening the case yesterday, prosecutor Andrew Jordan said the women were walking on the right-hand side when Bressan tried to overtake them on the left.