Ambulance driver accused of mowing down clubbers while answering 999 call
The clubbers were hit outside this bar in Shoreditch (pic: Google) - Credit: Archant
An ambulance driver accused of mowing down Shoreditch clubbers after she jumped a red light while responding to a 999 call will stand trial accused of a driving offence.
Cheryl Aggarwal is on trial (pic: London Evening Standard) - Credit: Archant
Cheryl Aggarwal, of Lydford Road, is charged with driving without care and attention after her Mercedes ambulance mounted a pavement and knocked down revellers outside a bar in Shoreditch, east London, on January 24 last year.
The 58-year-old was due to appeared at Stratford Magistrate’s Court yesterday but she failed to show up.
The case could not proceed in her absence after the prosecution failed to book a Spanish interpreter for Carlos Amaguary who was driving a Seat Ibiza which was hit by the ambulance as Aggarwal overtook traffic.
Mr Amaguary’s car span in the road as the ambulance careered towards the terrified clubbers.
Mohammad Mullah, prosecuting, said: “On Saturday 24 January 2015 at 1.37am in Great Eastern Street the driver of a Mercedes ambulance was on an emergency call with blue lights and sirens activated when the driver approached the red light on the wrong side of the road,’ said.
“It passed the stationary traffic waiting at the lights.
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“It failed to stop or slow at the junction and collided with a white Seat Ibiza that was driving straight at the junction.”
Adjourning the trial, magistrate Elizabeth Cuffey said: “This matter should have been dealt with five months ago when the trial was set.
“This is a very serious incident with a number of casualties.”
A pre-trial review has been scheduled for March 24 to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service is in a position to proceed.
