British family whose son was killed in crash files U.S. lawsuit against wife of American official

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Washington Post

Europe

British family whose son was killed in crash files U.S. lawsuit against wife of American official

By William Booth and Karla Adam
September 9, 2020 at 11:32 a.m. EDT

LONDON — The family of Harry Dunn, the 19-year-old motorcyclist killed by a car driven on the wrong side of an English roadway by the wife of a U.S. official, filed a U.S. federal lawsuit against the driver, Anne Sacoolas, on Wednesday.

The lawsuit, which claims wrongful death and seeks financial damages, represents a significant escalation in the year-long campaign by Dunn’s parents to hold Sacoolas accountable.

The case has been a source of friction between British and American officials. Sacoolas left Britain shortly after the Aug. 27, 2019, accident, with the U.S. government asserting that she had diplomatic immunity. ... She returned to her home in Northern Virginia. But in December, British police charged her with causing death by dangerous driving.

A British request for extradition was rejected by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab expressed “disappointment.” In a meeting with Pompeo in July, Prime Minister Boris Johnson “reiterated the need for justice to be done for Harry Dunn and his family,” according to a spokesman for 10 Downing Street.

{snip}

William Booth
William Booth is The Washington Post’s London bureau chief. He was previously bureau chief in Jerusalem, Mexico City, Los Angeles and Miami. Follow https://twitter.com/boothwilliam

Karla Adam
Karla Adam is a London correspondent for The Washington Post. Follow https://twitter.com/karlaadam

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/harry-dunn-case-us-lawsuit/2020/09/09/061e40c4-f248-11ea-8025-5d3489768ac8_story.html

[CaptYossarian]

1. How old was this woman?

Even when I was in elementary school, I knew that Britain drove on the left side of the road. Of course, I watched the Bond movies and the (real) Avengers with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg back then.

Where the hell was "little Miss White Privilege"? Is she just another brain-dead socialite?

I hope they get everything from her--including birth marks.

[House of Roberts]

2. How can you drive a right hand drive vehicle

and not immediately know to drive on the left?

[kiri]

3. "wrong" side driving

I have driven on the left enough--with steering wheels on different sides in the UK and New Zealand. A left side steering wheel is at a major disadvantage when trying to overtake.

There are a few pitfalls: making right turns; entering roundabouts; petrol stations--some primeval force often made me turn into the wrong lane when leaving. I chanted constantly, keep left.

Nonetheless, I got quite used to it. So much that I needed a few days to adjust to driving when I came back.