Uber Driver Claims He Didn't See Customer He Ran Over

An Uber driver accused of deliberately running down and killing a customer who vomited in his car stated he "did not see" the man, a murder trial has heard.

Hayadulla Turkmani, 53, is accused of killing Michael Ashton, 28, after dropping him off outside his home in Basildon, Essex, on September 26 last year. Jurors were told that Mr. Ashton and his partner had gone into their home to get cleaning wipes to clean a "small amount" of vomit from the car's back seat.

Moments later, a collision occurred involving Turkmani's Uber vehicle, leaving Mr. Ashton with a fatal brain injury. He died in hospital on October 4.

Turkmani, who was assisted by an Afghan interpreter, told the court that he informed Mr. Ashton's partner that someone had run in front of his car. During cross-examination by prosecutor Andrew Jackson, Turkmani insisted he did not realize the person was Mr. Ashton. He testified that he was "panicked and frightened" and claimed he did not see the six-foot-tall victim.

Turkmani, who reportedly fled Afghanistan in 1999 to escape Taliban persecution, denies charges of murder, manslaughter, and causing death by dangerous driving. He told the court that Mr. Ashton shouted at him and began running toward the car following an argument about the passenger vomiting.

Basildon Crown Court heard that Turkmani reversed away from the situation out of fear for his safety. He then felt a "jerk" and believed he had struck an object. "I was reversing to get away, I was panicked and frightened as he was shouting and running towards me, I wanted to leave as soon as possible," Turkmani stated.

When asked why he had sworn during the confrontation, he replied, "Because he didn't clean the car, he swore at me and he slammed the door." While admitting he was "annoyed," Turkmani rejected the prosecution's suggestion that he was angry enough to deliberately target Mr. Ashton. He stated he only realized someone was trapped underneath the vehicle after exiting it. Turkmani also told the court he retrieved a jack in an attempt to help.

Judge Samantha Cohen questioned Turkmani about whether the car's headlights were on, if the doors locked automatically, and if the vehicle was equipped with reversing cameras. Turkmani confirmed these features were present and described the incident as an "unusual situation."

The court was informed that Turkmani, who belongs to Afghanistan's Hazara ethnic minority, became a British citizen in October 2011. Explaining his reaction after the collision, he said, "I was very affected in the war, there was a lot of fighting. When I saw there was somebody under the car I froze. I didn't know what to do."

Prosecutor Jackson suggested that the "jerk" Turkmani described was the sensation of braking before deliberately driving into Mr. Ashton, rather than an accidental collision while reversing. Jackson asked, "You are not seriously suggesting to this court you did not see, hear, or feel that you had hit a six-foot man?" Turkmani responded, "I didn't know that is what happened."

Evidence presented to the jury indicated that vehicle data showed the accelerator was "flat down" at one point during the incident. Turkmani stated he could not recall when this occurred. The trial is ongoing.