Court hears Constable Anthony Woods alleged killer may have 'unconsciously' pressed accelerator before being tasered

Australia Broadcast Center

09-05-2025

A man accused of killing a police officer by driving over him in a stolen car after a high-speed chase has admitted he may have "unconsciously" put his foot on the accelerator before being tasered.
Constable Anthony Woods, 28, died three days after being dragged under the car after a traffic stop in the early hours of the morning in June 2023.
The police officer had been chasing a stolen Holden Cruze through the streets of Perth and had approached the driver's door after stopping it in a riverside cul-de-sac in Ascot.
Reagan Chown, 25, was behind the wheel and upon taking the stand for the first time at his manslaughter trial, he told the jury he had no control of the car after he was tasered by Constable Woods.
Constable Woods was between the car door and the body of the vehicle and was pulled under it when it went into reverse, mounted a kerb and hit a pole.
On the stand, Mr Chown admitted to lying to police about his meth use, and whether the car was stolen.
"Narcotics and drug abuse clouded my judgement," he said.
He testified he didn't know why he tried to escape police when they attempted to pull him over.
Mr Chown said when he was stopped in the cul-de-sac, he struggled to put the car in park, saying there may have been a phone in the way.
Mr Chown said a "bright light" lit up the car, "like a torch", and a door opened and shut "in quick succession".
He told the court he didn't hear Constable Woods say anything.
"Can't remember if there was a struggle or not," he said, before the taser was deployed.
Mr Chown said it was "almost like your muscles were set on fire".
Mr Chown said he didn't have control of his legs or arms and felt pain from his neck downwards.
Under questioning from prosecutor Justin Whalley, Mr Chown said he did not remember putting the car in reverse, but agreed the car was already moving backwards before he was tasered.
He said his foot may have accidentally gone onto the accelerator, and denied he was trying to get away.
Mr Chown admitted it was possible he could have "unconsciously" put his foot on the accelerator before being tasered.
He accepted he wasn't actually unconscious at the time but said he could not remember doing it.
Mr Chown said he didn't see Constable Woods trapped between the car door and the body of the car, because his "eyes were shut".
Mr Whalley also asked him about a phone call to his father, recorded when he was in prison in June 2023.
During the call, Reagan Chown said "the c**t pulled me over and f**king tasered me".
Mr Chown's lawyer asked him why he used such language and he said: "jail's a vicious environment."
Mr Chown was also heard on the call saying his "foot went straight onto accelerator and my left arm spazzed out".
Closing submissions in the trial are expected to start on Monday.