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Geraldton man Paul Meadowcroft guilty of road-rage hit and run that left cyclist paralysed

Paul Meadowcroft admitted driving dangerously but denied intending to harm Steve Zimmermann. (Supplied)

A year ago, lobster factory worker Steve Zimmermann was riding his bicycle home oblivious to the fact his life was about to change forever.

About a minute later a security camera captured footage of him lying on a footpath, the victim of a hit and run sparked by road rage.

Also captured was the moment a four-wheel-drive vehicle left the road, crossed a verge and struck the cyclist. 

Mr Zimmermann, now 32, suffered a spinal cord injury and relies on a wheelchair to get around.   

This week, a year after the collision that left him with no movement in his legs and limited movement in his hands and arms, Mr Zimmermann faced the driver in the District Court in Geraldton. 

Paul Stuart Meadowcroft, 51, had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm but maintained he was not guilty of the more serious charge of causing bodily harm with intent to harm.

He fought the charge at trial but was found guilty. 

Steve Zimmermann no longer has movement in his legs. (ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Jeremy Jones)

'You aimed directly at him'

Jurors had to consider Meadowcroft's state of mind after Mr Zimmermann "gave him the finger" over a traffic altercation between the two. 

The court heard the the cyclist gestured to Meadowcroft another two times as he continued his journey on the footpath up Bailey Street. 

Meadowcroft, meanwhile, had been heading to his mother's house but made the fateful decision to turn back.

He admitted that after the altercation he did a U-turn, drove back down the hill, across the road, onto the verge and toward the footpath where Mr Zimmermann had been riding. 

He denied being angry at that point and said he just "wanted an explanation" from the cyclist. 

A crash expert testified there was no indication the vehicle braked and Meadowcroft acknowledged he did not "hit the brakes".

CCTV from a house across the street showed the vehicle crossing the road and towards the footpath.

Mr Zimmermann was struck by the four-wheel drive — "two tonnes of metal, plastic and glass", as prosecutor Les Hobson said. 

"You were angry with the cyclist," Mr Hobson said to Meadowcroft in cross-examination. 

"No," Meadowcroft replied. 

"You aimed directly at him." 

"No." 

Not breath-tested after incident

Meadowcroft also denied trying to avoid police after the collision by deciding not to go to his mother's place as he planned but to a friend's house. 

"Is that because you knew police would be looking for you?" Mr Hobson asked. 

"No, I was going to go there later anyway," he said. 

A witness noted the vehicle's registration number but Meadowcroft was not arrested by detectives until the following day, meaning police did not get the chance to test if he had been drinking. 

Guilty verdict a 'relief'

Senior Constable Lewis said the verdict came as a relief to Mr Zimmermann.

"I think some relief and he feels like some justice has been done," he said.

"I can see a weight has been taken off his shoulders ... although obviously there is a lot more he has got to focus on in terms of rehabilitation."

Senior Constable Lewis urged people to remain calm on the roads and said the incident showed the dangers of road rage.

Editor's note 30/5/2022: In accordance with conditions imposed by the court a CCTV video originally in this story was removed within 28 days of this article being published. 

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