Epileptic driver admits killing toddler and injuring her father
Lee Burford had ignored medical advice and continued to drive his Renault Clio before the tragic incident.
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An epileptic driver has admitted killing a toddler and injuring her father when his car mounted the pavement and crashed into the young family.
Lee Burford, 44, had ignored medical advice and continued to drive his Renault Clio before the tragic incident in Eastcote Road, Ruislip, west London, on October 25 2020.
Twenty-two-month old Zhaoxi Wang, who was strapped in a pushchair, died in the crash and her father Qi Wang was injured.
On Thursday, Burford, from Harrow, pleaded guilty to causing death and injury by dangerous driving.
He also admitted fraud by dishonestly making an untrue or misleading representation that he did not suffer from any fits or other physical or mental infirmity in order to gain employment as a driver.
Burford pleaded not guilty to manslaughter by gross negligence.
Opening the facts, Catherine Pattison told the Old Bailey: “The tragic nature of the case is perhaps even more significant because had he notified the DVLA of a seizure he suffered four months earlier on June 22 2020, then Mr Burford would not have had a driving licence at all.”
The prosecutor said the defendant had disregarded advice of medics not only about his epilepsy but also non-prescription drug use and continued to drive regardless.
She said: “It would appear he consumed a quantity of cocaine sometime before getting behind the wheel of October 25 2020, the date of the fatal collision.”
The crash happened at about 4.20pm on a stretch of road with a 30mph speed limit.
Mr Wang was pushing his daughter in a pram accompanied by his wife on their way home from a park.
Ms Pattison said: “At the time of the collision Zhaoxi was strapped into her pushchair.
“She was facing forward.”
Burford’s Clio mounted the pavement and struck Mr Wang and the pushchair.
“Mr Wang was thrown sideways towards a low wall and the pushchair was thrown into the air and landed onto the road.”
The vehicle continued on the pavement, hit a telephone exchange box and sign post before coming to a stop in the road, the court heard.
Mr Wang suffered a broken arm and his young daughter’s injuries were too serious and she died at the scene, the court was told.