Reagan Chown found guilty of manslaughter of Constable Anthony Woods after running him over with car

Australia Broadcast Center

13-05-2025

A car thief who was high on meth when he ran over a police officer after a chase through the streets of Perth has been found guilty of killing him.
Reagan Chown was at the wheel of a stolen Holden Cruze when it reversed, trapping Constable Anthony Woods between the door and the body of the car after a traffic stop in June 2023.
The Cruze had been pursued by police, reaching speeds of more than 80 kilometres per hour in a 40 kph zone, before coming to a stop in a cul-de-sac in Ascot.
Constable Woods was attempting to apprehend Chown but after tasering him, Constable Woods was dragged under the vehicle as it swung backwards and hit bollards.
He died in hospital three days later.
There were gasps in the public gallery as the verdict was read out, with several people in tears.
Commissioner Col Blanch was among those in court for the verdict, along with a number of police officers.
Chown, who was standing for the verdict, did not react.
Constable Woods, 28, was described by Police Commissioner Col Blanch as a "brave and dedicated" officer.
There was an outpouring of grief in the wake of his death, the 88th WA police officer to die in the line of duty.
He had only recently completed his probationary period.
Chown faced a murder charge, but it was downgraded to manslaughter days before the trial was to begin.
He had claimed he lost control of his arms and legs, and the vehicle, after he was tasered.
CCTV footage from a nearby home had been played in court, during which a voice could be heard saying "stay where you are" twice, just before the cracking sound of taser.
Chown claimed he never heard those words — and during the trial admitted lying to police about his meth use, saying "narcotics and drug abuse clouded" his judgement.
In his closing statements, prosecutor Justin Whalley told the jury Chown was criminally negligent because the Cruze was "reversing backwards under power".
He referred to Chown as a "drug affected car thief" whose version of events changed between 2023 and when he took the stand at his trial.
Mr Whalley told the jury Chown had initially said the "car was stationary", and in neutral, and he had his foot on the brake before he was tasered.
But footage from the scene showed the car was already going backwards when he was tasered.
On the stand last week, Chown said he may have accidentally put it into reverse instead of park, and possibly moved his foot to the accelerator.
A medical expert also told the court a taser would not affect the entire body, as Chown had suggested happened to him.
The jury took under three hours to find Chown guilty of manslaughter.