Husband of road rage victim testifies in court

The husband of Katherine Wood, testifies before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance.

DUBAI // The husband of Katherine Wood, the Scottish woman who died when she was run over by a Hummer during a road rage incident in May, testified before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance yesterday. Mrs Wood, 52, was run over twice as she was standing on the pavement with friends outside the Aviation Club in Dubai. The defendant in the case, identified only as AA, 22, appeared in court yesterday as the court heard six witnesses recount the events of May 30.

The defendant, who drove a Dubai-registered white Hummer, said in his statement to the prosecution that he did not see the group standing on the pavement. He pleaded not guilty on Aug 21 to a charge of premeditated murder. Jeffery Wood told the court that after he and his wife were knocked down by the Hummer, he saw the driver back up and run over his wife again. "Everything after that was a blur," he testified. The couple were out celebrating Mrs Wood's birthday with friends.

Five other witnesses also testified: a British couple who were accompanying the Woods, the taxi driver who dropped them off, a driver who witnessed the incident and a passer-by. The witnesses said the defendant was angry at being kept waiting while the Woods got out of the taxi. "I asked him to be patient and wait until we got out of the taxi. He was angry," one of the friends, identified only as Brendan, told the court yesterday.

Brendan was clipped by the Hummer and sustained minor injuries, but noted the car's licence plate number before it sped off. The Woods and two of their friends went to the club after a dinner at Le Meridien Hotel. Mr Wood, his wife and Brendan got out of the cab first, while Brendan's wife, Danielle, was still in the cab when AA drove his Hummer on to the pavement, knocked down Mrs Wood and slammed into Mr Wood.

In his testimony, Mr Wood said: "The taxi driver pulled up to the left. Brendan, myself and Kate got out and we were waiting on the pavement while Danielle was paying the taxi driver. I heard Brendan shout something like 'watch out', and the Hummer sent me flying about six feet. The Hummer went over Kate. Then, to my disbelief, the driver reversed and went over her again." Mrs Wood died in the ambulance on the way to hospital. The case was adjourned. * The National