Emirati driver jailed, fined Dhs12,000 for death of cyclist

An Emirati motorist has been sentenced to six months in jail for the death of a cyclist in a road accident earlier this year.

The 22-year-old driver, who works with Dubai Civil Defence, was also fined Dhs12,000 by the Dubai Traffic Court and will have his driving licence suspended for three years from the date of his release from prison, according to local media reports.

The cyclist, Mizna Abdullah Ali, was a member of Al Wathba cycling team and was training for the NAS sport tournament in the Meydan area in Dubai when she was struck by the car at 10.35pm on May 23.

The Emirati woman died in hospital.

The driver was found guilty of manslaughter, speeding, damaging property, driving a vehicle with an expired registration, modifying the vehicle without permission, using darker tinting and racing with another vehicle, according to media reports.

He was reportedly driving someone else’s vehicle when the accident took place.

The judge also ordered ordered the driver to pay Dhs200,000 in blood money to the cyclist’s family.

The defendant had earlier denied the charges, stating that he was driving within the permissible speed limit and that he had been taken by surprise when the cyclist appeared less than three metres in front of his car.

His lawyer also claimed that charges should have been made against the cycling team’s supervisor, because he failed to arrange for the cyclists to train in dedicated paths.

An appeal against the verdict will be made, the lawyer added.