Street racers who fled abroad after a motorbike rider died in a horrific crash have been arrested flying into Manchester from Abu Dhabi
Two ‘selfish’ street racers who fled the country after a motorbike rider died in a horrific high-speed smash were arrested after flying into Manchester Airport[2] from Abu Dhabi this morning.
Osama Saeed, 32, and Asgar Taj, 35, now face having to serve the 12-year prison sentence each was given in their absence after admitting causing death by dangerous driving via a FaceTime call over the deadly contest on a public dual carriageway.
Saeed was at the wheel of a high-performance Audi RS3 while Taj was riding a Suzuki motorbike on the A34 near Wilmslow, Cheshire in September 2020 when fellow racer Asad Rashid, 34, suffered fatal injuries.
An eye witness who watched the reckless group race past her moments earlier described how she ‘thought she got in the way of filming for Top Gear[3]‘.
Shocked motorists told how Taj was seen deleting the Instagram[4] app from his phone as he lay injured in the carriageway in a bid to destroy incriminating evidence.
Osama Saeed, 32, (left) and Asgar Taj, 35, (right) have been handed 12 years in prison after admitting to causing death by dangerous driving and fleeing part way through their trial
But both fled partway through their trial last October, before – in a highly unusual move – later dialling in over a lawyer’s mobile phone to plead guilty.
Today Cheshire Police shared photographs of the fugitives being handcuffed before being brought to court, saying it showed officers ‘will not give up’.
Inspector Steve Griffiths, of the force’s serious and complex collision investigation unit, said: ‘As this result demonstrates, we will not give up, if you commit a crime in Cheshire, you will be arrested and you will be held accountable.
‘On their arrival at Manchester Airport this morning, Saeed and Taj were both greeted by a team of officers from the Cheshire Police Serious and Complex Collision Investigation Unit, along with support from the Roads and Crime Unit and GMP.
‘Both men were promptly detained at the arrival gate and will be put in front of the courts later today.’
Along with Mr Rashid, the pair had travelled from their homes in Bradford to race a fourth driver, Mohammad Zubair Chaudhry, who was driving a 200mph Audi R8, on September 15, 2020, their trial heard.
Witnesses told of seeing the two cars and two motorbikes lined up in a row at traffic lights at about 10pm before they roared away when they turned green, vanishing from sight within seconds.
But moments later there was an ‘explosion of lights and sparks’ as they all lost control at a roundabout due to their excessive speed, narrowly missing innocent motorists.
Asgar Taj leaving Stockport Magistrates court in 2021. The rider of the morotbike involved int he fatal crash fled ot Dubai and were intercepted at Manchester airport
Osama Saeed outside court. Saeed was driving a high-performance Audi RS3 when he and others lost control at a roundabout due to their excessive speed and crashed in an explosion of flames and sparks
Chaudhry tore off the bottom of his Audi’s engine as it hit the middle of the roundabout, with the wrecked supercar flying into the air before coming to rest 134 metres up the road.
The two motorbikes and the Audi RS3 both then hit the roundabout at about the same time, with both riders thrown clear.
Members of the public who rushed to their aid were stunned to see Taj – who had suffered a broken right arm and left foot – deleting Instagram files from his phone as he lay in the roadway before removing the app completely.
Mr Rashid was struck by the Audi RS3 as it hit the central reservation, suffering fatal injuries after becoming trapped.
Last December both Saeed and Taj were handed 12-year sentences in their absence.
Following their arrest they were due to appear at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester this afternoon.
Chaudhry, of Cheadle, Greater Manchester, also pleaded to causing death by dangerous driving.
He was sentenced to ten years and seven months in prison in his absence, with inquiries to locate him still ongoing.
Following Chaudhry’s arrest, police found horrifying ‘trophy videos’ on his phone, including driving at 139mph in a 40mph zone close to a school and at 192mph on a motorway.
After the trio were sentenced in their absence, Sergeant Andrew Dennison, of Cheshire Police, said: ‘Driving is a privilege, not a right, and it comes with great responsibility to act within the rules laid down when you pass your test.
‘The sad death of Asad Rashid that night shows the catastrophic consequences that will happen when these rules are ignored.
‘Taj, Chaudhury and Saeed all came to Wilmslow with Rashid knowing they were coming to race on the roads around Cheshire.
‘They drove in a manner that put everyone around them at great risk and the inevitable conclusion of this driving was a serious collision that claimed the life of Rashid.
‘The knowledge of the group coming to race and the actions they undertook meant that they were all culpable in the death of Rashid and as a result are all guilty of causing his death by driving dangerously.
‘As a result of the selfish and dangerous actions taken that night four families have been torn apart.
‘Rashid is now dead, while Chaudhry, Saeed and Taj have all been handed significant prison sentences.
‘None of the men have shown any remorse for their actions, and that fact that they failed to attend the hearing today demonstrates a total lack of accountability.
‘While Rashid was not wholly innocent, he did not deserve to die, and if anything can be achieved from this case, I hope it acts as a warning to others and prevents any needless collisions like this from occurring again.’
References
- ^ James Tozer (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Manchester Airport (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Top Gear (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Instagram (www.dailymail.co.uk)