LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A crash expert tried to prove the man accused of driving drunk and killing a former UofL cheerleader wasn't the one behind the wheel at the time of the crash.
Wednesday, Henry Cease, a former Kentucky State Police trooper with 20 years of experience, was called to the stand as a crash reconstruction expert in the murder trial of Bradley Caraway.Â
He was the first and only witness called by Caraway's defense.
Cease testified that the evidence clearly showed Caraway must have been the passenger at the time of the crash.
"It's my opinion he was the passenger, yes," Cease said, when questioned.
CARAWAY MURDER TRIAL WEDNESDAY | Defense has started its witness list. Speaking now is a traffic reconstructionist expert who reviewed all evidence from the 2016 crash and says his investigation says Bradley Caraway was NOT driving. 🧵 @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/YnwgrIcFn7
— Monica Harkins WDRB (@MonicaHarkinstv) September 6, 2023
The crash happened seven years ago after 25-year-old Shanae Moorman and then 34-year-old Caraway were captured on video leaving Gerstle's after having drinks.
Moorman was pinned under the car during the crash and died.
Caraway was found hours later walking on the Gene Snyder.
The prosecution argued that Caraway was driving drunk, wore a seatbelt, survived the crash and walked away.
Cease, a crash reconstruction consultant, testified that after reviewing all of the Louisville Metro Police documents and medical forensics, he believed Caraway was in the passenger seat, wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the car first.
He believed that at the very end of the rollover crash, Moorman slipped out of the seatbelt from the driver's seat, which he claimed is possible during rollovers.
The prosecution re-called a previous witness, Lt. Clarence Beauford of LMPD, who said that wasn't true.
"Like I said, we work a number of rollover collisions — and weekly they occur here in Louisville — and many, many, many times, a restrained occupant is still inside of that restraint as that rollover occurs," Beauford said.
If the driver was restrained, that would follow the narrative from the prosecution that Caraway was the driver and wearing a seat belt.
Since witness testimony wrapped up Wednesday, the jury will hear closing arguments Thursday morning, before deliberations begin.
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