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Harry Dunn’s family received permission to pursue a civil lawsuit against the alleged killer of the teenager and her husband.
The ruling was issued by a judge in the Alexandria district court in the US state of Virginia on Wednesday, allowing the civil lawsuit against Mr. and Mrs. Sacoolas and a “vicarious liability” lawsuit to be filed against the husband. of the suspect.
The vicarious liability law in Virginia means that Mr. Sacoolas could be responsible for the death of the teenager by allowing his wife to use the car that killed him.
Harry’s parents, Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn, started a civil case in the US.
Dunn family spokesman Radd Seiger told the Palestinian Authority news agency: “Harry’s family is very pleased with today’s ruling and that their claims have been allowed to continue in their entirety.
“They are also happy that Mr. Sacoolas will also have to be deposed so they can get the full account of what happened the night Harry died.
“The Sacoola and their insurers, the United Service Automobile Association, have tried to deny justice to Harry’s family at all times along the way.
“Common sense has prevailed tonight.”
Mr. Seiger continued: “The Dunn family has the right to exercise their legal rights to the fullest extent possible, which will ultimately be determined by the court at trial.
Radd Seiger said the ruling showed that common sense had prevailed.
“It is time to continue to bring justice to this family and leave behind these petty attempts to disenfranchise them.
“The USAA has done itself a disservice in handling the claims to date.”
Anne Sacoolas was leaving RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019 when she was involved in an accident with Harry, 19, who was on his motorcycle.
She had been driving on the wrong side of the road but he claimed diplomatic immunity and returned to the United States with his family.
Despite being accused of causing Harry’s death by dangerous driving a few months later and an extradition request from the UK, Ms Sacoolas has refused to return.
Harry Dunn died after an accident outside RAF Croughton
US Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden have refused to return it.
If an agreement is not reached in the civil case, the next step would be a deposition, in which Sacoolas and her husband would give an account of the facts.
In February, Judge Ellis ruled that the substantive lawsuit against Ms. Sacoolas could go ahead in the US., despite the suspect’s motion to dismiss it.
Judge Ellis had said: “While it is commendable that defendant Anne Sacoolas admits that she was negligent and that her negligence caused the death of Harry Dunn, this does not amount to acceptance of responsibility.
“Full acceptance of responsibility means facing those harmed by their negligence and taking responsibility for their acts where they occurred, in the UK.”
