Uber driver acquitted of murder, convicted only of dangerous driving in fatal crash

In Basildon Crown Court, a jury unanimously found Uber driver Hayadulla Turkmani not guilty of murder and manslaughter for the September 26 incident that resulted in the death of passenger Michael Ashton. Ashton, a council worker, became ill in the vehicle, and after a dispute with Turkmani, the driver reversed his automatic Toyota Prius, claiming he was panicked and did not see Ashton, who was running toward the car. The collision caused a severe brain injury, and Ashton died on October 4.

While the prosecution argued the driver acted out of anger, Turkmani testified he was frightened and only realized someone was trapped after the impact. The jury convicted him only of causing death by dangerous driving; sentencing will occur later. Judge Samantha Cohen admonished the public gallery for emotional outbursts and noted the difficulty of such cases.