Reagan Chown: Alleged cop killer takes stand, admits he may have ‘unconsciously’ placed foot on accelerator

A car thief who ran over a WA policeman after a high-speed chase has taken the stand, admitting he may have “unconsciously” put his foot on the accelerator before being tasered. The pursuit in Ascot around 1am on June 8, 2023 abruptly ended in a cul-de-sac, with the marked police car pulling up next to Reagan Chown’s stolen Holden Cruze and Constable Anthony Woods leaping out to open the driver’s side door. Mr Chown’s Supreme Court of WA manslaughter trial has been shown footage of the car beginning to go backwards before the cracking sound of the immobilising device rang out and the Holden hurtled backwards. Const. Woods had become trapped between the car door and the body of the stolen vehicle, and was dragged underneath as it swung around, mounted a kerb and hit wooden bollards. The police officer, who had only passed his probation a month earlier, died in hospital three days later. Testifying on Friday, Mr Chown admitted he had repeatedly lied in his interview with detective hours later, including claiming arresting police threw him into their van face-first. He also lied that the last time he had taken methylamphetamine was three weeks earlier and that a clipseal bag of the drug that was found on him was not his. Under robust cross-examination by Prosecutor Justin Whalley, Mr Chown now not only admits he was affected by meth but had a “contaminated mindframe”. Asked why he tried to get away, Mr Chown replied: “I couldn’t tell you. I acted out of impulse, affected by drugs”. “I didn’t think it was correct or incorrect. I just did it. “I believe I would have reacted completely differently if I was as sober as I am today.” Mr Chown has consistently blamed Const. Woods for his own death, saying the tragedy would not have unfolded had he not deployed his taser. Mr Chown still insists his body stiffened involuntarily as the electric shock jolted his body, causing pain “from head to toe”. “I can only assume that I’ve pressed myself into the seat and into the accelerator,” he said. He claims his foot had been on the brake and he had been trying to put the car into park, intending to give up the chase, but an obstruction - his phone - prevented him. Mr Whalley said the only reason he stopped was he couldn’t go any further. But Mr Chown said he wanted to end the chase because he was thinking “somebody could have died”, prompting scoffs from the public gallery. He accepted the car was already moving when he was tasered, suggesting it may have rolled backwards “on its own power” and that he may have put into reverse “without consciously knowing”. And asked if he also may have put his foot on the accelerator, Mr Chown said: “It’s possible”. “I’m unclear what really happened but I must have put my foot off the brake,” he said. “Whether pressure was put on the accelerator consciously or unconsciously, I’m unsure.” Mr Whalley also asked Mr Chown about a recorded prison call he had with his father about a week later, when he said: “The c... pulled me over and f...ing tasered me”. He suggested he had used such language to appear tough in front of other inmates, to avoid them using “standover tactics” on him. The trial continues.