An alleged drunk driver is on trial for killing another motorist after running a red light.
The 30-year-old Sri Lankan has appeared at the High Criminal Court on charges of vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence and crossing an intersection when the traffic light was red.
He was also accused of speeding more than 30 per cent above the speed limit, property damage, reckless driving and injuring a passenger.
The defendant earlier told the Public Prosecution that he consumed drinks during dinner with his girlfriend and was heading home to Umm Al Hassam from Riffa when the accident happened.
“The traffic light at the intersection had just turned red. I used the brake to stop, but I couldn’t halt completely and I passed the red light,” the Sri Lankan testified.
“In the meantime, a car was coming from Sitra and I collided into it then into the traffic lights. The cars were upended, and I exited my vehicle to check on the people in the other car.”
The fatal car crash took place at 2.25am on April 3 on Shaikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah Highway, the prosecution stated. Although the speed limit on that road was 80kmph, the arrested motorist was allegedly driving at 110kmph.
Because he ‘did not exercise the required caution while drunk’, the defendant passed the red light and his car collided into the front of another car coming from the left, forcing it to collide with the railing that divides two lane directions.
The defendant’s car continued drifting and hit the traffic signal, while another car caught up in the crash ended up on top of a car trapping the driver and its passenger.
Driver Fahad Ali Yunus died on the spot, while his companion was rescued from the wreckage by Civil Defence personnel. The passenger was severely injured and taken to hospital by ambulance.
According to the persecution, the defendant’s vehicle was only mildly damaged, while the other two sustained substantial damage.
A blood test revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.202 per cent, which’, the court heard, suggested the defendant had been ‘severely drunk’ at the time of the crash.
The trial was adjourned to April 27 for defence arguments to be heard.
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