LONDON: An Iraqi-born man who drove a car that crashed onto Tube tracks in London has admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of one of his passengers, the Metro reported on Thursday.
Beauty therapist Yagmur Ozden died on Aug. 22 when Rida Kazem’s Range Rover hit a Tesla parked in a dealership by Park Royal station, before ending up on the rail lines.
Mom-of-one Ozden, 33, was ejected from the back seat of the car by the force of the crash. An inquest later recorded that she had died as a result of blunt force trauma.
Appearing at a London crown court, jewelry manager Kazem, who later had his left leg amputated due to injuries caused in the crash, also pleaded guilty to a second charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving to his other passenger Zamarod Arif, the Metro reported.
Prosecutor Nicholas Hearn told the court that Kazem had a history of speeding convictions, including one for driving at 95mph in a 50mph zone not long before the fatal incident.
Kazem’s lawyer David Rhodes described him as a “young man of otherwise good character.”
He said: “He well understands this is a very serious matter and he’s facing a very significant term of imprisonment.”
Rhodes noted that his client had “suffered a serious injury himself,” spent weeks in a coma, and may require additional surgery.
Basra-born Kazem, who had previously appeared in court in a wheelchair, was remanded in custody after the judge adjourned the case.
