Driver, 22, celebrates with champagne in Snapchat vid after being cleared of crash that killed pal
THIS is the moment a driver celebrated with champagne after being cleared over a crash that killed her pal.
Christalla Amphlett, now 22, had pulled on to the hard shoulder of the M1 amid a 17 minute row over petrol money.
The back of the car, which had no hazard lights, was then hit by driver Bradley Lane during the horror in November 2017.
Chloe Palmer, 19, who was the rear-side passenger, suffered a severe brain injury and died days later.
Her friend Maisie O’Flynn, who was sat next to Chloe survived the crash but received serious injuries.
Amphlett was treated for a bleed on the brain, a broken jaw and broken neck, while Keziah Knight was out of the car at the time.
The support worker was yesterday cleared of causing the death by dangerous driving of Chloe following a trial at St Albans Crown Court.
Footage has now appeared of Amphlett celebrating the verdict on Snapchat.
One video shows her being showered in champagne by cheering pals as she grins.
She can be seen in another pumping her fists in the air in the back of the car as the person posting says she is “so proud”.
The clips have been slammed by a close family friend of Maisie’s, who has branded them an “insult” to the devastated loved ones of those involved in the crash.
‘ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING’
She told The Sun Online: “It’s a kick in the teeth for the families to celebrate like that on the day of the verdict coming back.
“I know she has been found not guilty but she seems so unaware of the anguish she has caused by doing this.
“There’s just no remorse there at all for the crash and has caused even more heartache for the family who are still grieving Chloe.
“She’s clearly lacking sympathy and compassion allowing these videos to be posted so soon after – Maisie’s family weren’t even home from court yet and she’s there glorifying her freedom.
“Christalla could have celebrated behind closed doors.
“Anyone would have thought she’d won the lottery.
“It’s absolutely disgusting.”
‘CARELESS ACTIONS’
Amphlett has also been slammed on social media by Chloe’s friends and family who have seen the video.
One wrote: “Christalla Amphlett WALKS AWAY from St Albans Crown Court today hugging her friends & family & celebrating.
“She has even gone as far as popping a bottle of champagne in the middle of the road outside her house whilst her friends & family beep their horns & cheer after she was today found “not guilty” of causing death by dangerous driving.
“Our Chloe never got to WALK AWAY from that hospital because she died due to your careless actions.”
During the trial, jurors heard how the group were returning home from a night out in Watford when the argument broke out.
Amphlett claimed they had rowed about “something as trifling as petrol money” after she agreed to drop Chloe off at St Albans before running low on fuel.
She then pulled the Renault Twingo over on the M1 close to the inside lane without any illumination or hazard lights flashing.
HORROR CRASH
After remaining at a standstill for a few minutes, Amphlett then resumed the journey before stopping on the hard shoulder for a second time.
This time she had opened her door and was swinging her legs outside – causing some drivers to swerve to avoid the car and another to beep the horn.
She rowed with Chloe for around 17 minutes before Lane, who is likely to have fallen asleep, slammed into the back of the car in his Isuzu D-Max.
Chloe was rushed to hospital with a complex fracture to her pelvis and a serious brain injury.
She underwent surgery but the injuries to her brain were too severe and she passed away in December 2017.
Amphlett later said she remembered “shouting” and felt it safer to stop the car than continue her journey.
When she found out about her friend’s death she said she screamed.
Prosecutor Wayne Cleaver had previously told the jury: “Miss Amphlett had created dangerous conditions by deliberately stopping the car where she did.
“Those conditions became increasingly dangerous the longer the car remained there.”
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He said hard shoulders of motorways were only to be used in circumstances where it was necessary and unavoidable.
The prosecutor added: “It is to be used only in the case of genuine emergencies. This was not such a case.”
Lane had had earlier pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
