A TEENAGER gained consciousness after a car crash to find himself covered in his two friends’ blood.

Scott Ajerlo, of Huntington, was the only surviving rear seat passenger in the A41 crash that killed Dominic Arnold and Tristan Cook on December 10, 2006.

He was the first prosecution witness to give evidence at Chester Crown Court for the trial of Michael James Wood, charged with causing death by dangerous driving and Matthew George Ferguson, charged with dangerous driving.

Prosecutor Owen Edwards asked Mr Ajerlo to describe the crash, which occurred as Wood drove back from Broxton car park towards Chester, on the second left hand bend past Jackson’s Fencing.

He said: “I think we were travelling at about 50-60mph. I looked back at Matthew Ferguson’s car and it seemed like it was at a pretty comfortable distance - not threatening in any way.

“As we approached the bend I remember a sudden jolt of the car, which is when we began to lose control. The rear end of the car spun to the right then there was a jolt which caused us to spin again and turn a full u-turn.

“I could see headlights of a car coming from the Broxton direction. There was a jolt that forced us up then we hit the tree.

“When we stopped I went to reach for my seatbelt to get out but then became unconscious.

“Someone started to pull me out of the vehicle by my arm but I came to and crawled out myself.”

Prosecuting, Owen Edwards said: “By this stage Danny Wilson and Wesley Hardy were there - they were concerned about you - it appeared as though you were bleeding, but it wasn’t your blood.”

The court heard Mr Ajerlo was an upper sixth form student at Christleton High School last December.

On Saturday December 10 he was invited to the party of Wesley Hardy in Hoole, whose parents were going out for the night.

When the party was broken up at 9.30pm, a group of friends decided to go for a drive, and he travelled to Sainsbury’s car park in Boughton, where Wood, Ferguson joined two other young drivers Duncan McCann, of Huntington, and Christopher Laidler, of Boughton, trying to show off by performing hand brake turns and wheel skids.

Joined by driver Anthony Bentley-Roberts of Ledsham in a Land Rover Freelander, the group drove in convoy to Broxton roundabout.

Mr Ajerlo said they decided to go there to ‘wind up’ doggers looking for public sex at the well-known meeting spot.

Mr Ajerlo told the court: “On the way there, I was in Chris Laidler’s car. We were second to the back, when we saw Michael Wood overtake the other three cars just before a bend.

“Me and Chris were shocked because we couldn’t see what was ahead and if he was behind he could see even less.”

Mr Ajerlo said that at Broxton the cars swerved and did handbrake turns, shouting and making rude gestures at anyone they thought was a dogger.

They decided to return to the Sainsbury’s car park and he got into the back seat of Wood’s N-reg VW Polo with Dominic Arnold and Tristan Cook.

After the crash he was being treated by paramedics when Robert Shacklady, of Boughton, who had been in the front seat of Wood’s car, came to check if he was okay.

Mr Ajerlo told the court: “I asked him how fast we were going. He said we were only doing 30mph. I didn’t say anything at the time but I remember thinking that’s ridiculous.

“He continued to shout at people saying we were only doing 30mph. He was trying to cover up for his buddy.”

Mr Ajerlo was in hospital for three days after the crash with bruising to the back of his right shoulder, internal bruising to the left side of his stomach, bruised kidneys, cuts to his head and arm and bruising to his left eye.

Daily updates will be made www.chesterchronicle.co.uk throughout the trial. Also see The Chronicle this Friday for further coverage.