Dubai motorist ran over woman he thought was laughing at his car

Motorist denies running over a woman who pointed at him in a car park.

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DUBAI // A driver ran over a woman because he thought she laughed at his car, a court heard.

H?K, a 21-year-old Emirati student, told prosecutors she was returning to her vehicle with her sister at the Mirdif City Centre car park at about 9pm on October 13 last year when a blue saloon car cut in front of them.

“I was talking to my sister and asking her why the driver had not let us cross and pointed at the car while talking,” she said.

She said they turned away from the vehicle and continued walking, but moments later heard the screech of tyres and the car rammed into her, knocking her to the ground. She suffered injuries to her left leg and arm.

The car sped away, but a Pakistani woman and her son who witnessed the incident took note of the licence plate number.

Police tracked the vehicle to O?R, a 23-year-old Emirati pilot.

He appeared at the Misdemeanours Court on a charge of endangering life, which he denied. He said the women were pointing at his car laughing and making fun of him but that he had ignored them and drove off to look for a parking space.

“When I made a U-turn I saw the women again, and the woman stood in my way so I swerved in order not to hit her – but she threw herself at my car,” he said.

The pilot said he then lowered his window to see what had happened and heard the woman insulting him. “I also ignored the insult and drove away,” he said.

The pilot and his wife said he was driving at 10kph and did not hit the woman, but S?N, the 35-year-old woman who took the licence plate number, said he did hit the woman and “he was driving at 60kph at least”. She said the injured woman had not spoken to the driver.

The case continues and the next hearing is scheduled for December 3.