Driver points finger at motorcyclist in serious crash caught on camera

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — The driver of a car involved in the crash caught on video says she just wanted to slow the driver down. But instead, police said she caused the accident that cost the motorcyclist part of his leg.
 
Pam Smith's defense attorney Lee Sexton said the incident happened on a dirt road by her house in Fayetteville in 2012. But the ramifications reverberate still for all involved.  The 22-year-old motorcyclist's helmet camera captured the entire incident.
 
"I feel bad. I feel horrible for what happened to the young man," Smith said. "I dreamed about it for a very, very long time. And I still do. But I did not cause it."
 
"When he came up behind me so quickly, I didn't know which way he was going to go. And I did proceed just a little left of center of the dirt lane road, but that's what any reasonable person would've done was to try and slow that young man down," Smith said.
 
When asked if the motorcyclist had time to stop or to brake without hurting himself, Smith said, "Yes he did."
 
When asked if she was innocent or guilty of the charges, she said she was innocent.
 
District Attorney Scott Ballard said Smith was wrong to pull in front of the motorcyclist.
 
"I don't believe the law gives her the right to pull into his way for, really any purpose. And when you look at the statute, I think it's pretty clear," Ballard said.
 
Sexton said he hired an accident reconstruction expert. When asked if the expert showed the motorcyclist had time to slow down or brake, Sexton said.

"He's absolutely certain. It's a frame-by-frame analysis that uses the mathematic equations to show speed," he said.
 
"The whole thing's a tragedy. Nobody saying this is a bad lady. For all indications this is a good lady," Ballard said. "He tragically lost a leg as a result of the accident. It's awful that he did but it's not something that was caused by Ms. Smith."
 
"But the law, we believe, prohibits what she did," Ballard said.
 
Smith has a pending felony charge related to the crash.

WSBTV