Crash tests suggest lawnmower accident account is implausible, court hears
Crash simulations show the victim's body could not land where it did unless the mower moved much faster.
A biomechanics expert told a Brisbane murder trial that computer crash tests could not match the defence account. Robert John Crawford is accused of strangling his wife Frances.
Professor David Ackland ran tests using police evidence and found it very unlikely the mower ended up on top of her at the slow reverse speed claimed. For her body to land 1.8 metres from the wall would require much faster speeds.
Ackland also noted head injuries the mower could not have caused.
- 1.8 metres from wall
- Body distance
- 1.09 metres per second max
- Mower reverse speed
- 2.4 metres per second
- Required forward speed
- Early July 30, 2024
- Death date
Why it mattersExpert biomechanics evidence directly challenges the defendant's account of how his wife died, a critical factor in whether a jury believes his alibi.
AustraliaBrisbane Supreme Court murder trial will likely influence how similar accident scenarios are evaluated in Australian courts.
