One year in prison for deadly driver

Prosecutors say she ran a red light, causing a chain reaction accident that killed two people.

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DUBAI // A woman who ran a red light and smashed into another vehicle, shoving it off the road and killing two pedestrians, was sentenced to a year in prison yesterday.

Dubai Traffic Chief Prosecutor Salah Bu Faroosha said the 42-year-old Iraqi engineer was convicted of causing an accidental death, accidentally damaging property and accidentally causing bodily harm. Her name was not listed in court records.

Traffic Court Judge Mohammed al Batal ordered the woman to pay Dh400,000 in blood money to the families of those killed and revoked her licence for 18 months.

Mr Bu Faroosha said the February 10 crash happened after the woman illegally entered a junction in Deira and hit a lorry. The lorry skidded onto the pavement, running down five pedestrians and tossing several more than 20 metres from the point of impact. The pedestrians were taken to hospital in critical condition, as was the woman's passenger. Two of the injured, ages 45 and 61, died in hospital.

The woman denied the charges but Mr Bu Faroosha said the traffic report from Al Muraggabat police station, the witness statements and the forensic reports showed her guilt.

"We will not take any traffic case that leads to death and injury lightly," he said.

Both sides have 15 days to file an appeal.