An Uber driver has gone on trial accused of murdering a passenger who had been sick in his car — allegations he denies.
Hayadulla Turkmani, 53, of Langdale Gardens, Hornchurch, is standing trial at Basildon Crown Court over the death of Michael Ashton, 28, of Langdon Hills, near Basildon. Prosecutors say Turkmani deliberately drove into Ashton outside his home in Rosecroft Close on the night of 26 September 2025, then dragged him under the vehicle. Ashton died from his injuries on 4 October 2025 at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
Turkmani has pleaded not guilty to murder, manslaughter and causing death by dangerous driving. The trial is expected to last about three weeks.
What the prosecution alleges
Prosecutor Andrew Jackson told jurors the Crown’s case is that Turkmani acted “in sheer anger and rage”, using his automatic Toyota Prius “as a weapon” and intending to hit Ashton.
The court heard that Ashton and his partner had been out for dinner and drinks in Havering — including Upminster and Hornchurch — before requesting an Uber from Frankie’s Wine Bar in Hornchurch at around 11pm to go home to Basildon. The journey was uneventful until Ashton became nauseous near Langdon Hills, tried to open a rear window, and was sick, leaving what the prosecutor described as “a small amount” of vomit on the back seat.
Jackson said Ashton apologised immediately, but Turkmani became angry and shouted for the rest of the trip. After the drop-off, the couple fetched cleaning wipes and mopped up; the row then flared again outside the house, the court was told.
Jurors heard that the force of the impact snapped Ashton’s leg, sent him head-first onto the pavement and caused a fatal brain injury. The prosecution says he shouted for the driver to stop — with doorbell CCTV audio said to capture him crying “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” — but that Turkmani kept driving forward, then accelerated away with Ashton under the car. Jackson said that account will also be supported by a neighbour’s evidence and data from the Prius’s black box.
When police arrived, Turkmani allegedly said: “He ran in front of my car.” He later answered “no comment” in interview, the court heard. Essex Police were called at 11.59pm on 26 September 2025; Turkmani was charged with murder in mid-October 2025 after Ashton’s death.
What witnesses told the jury
Ashton’s partner, Sophie Caroll, told the court the driver was “angry” after the sickness and that the argument outside became “really heated”. She said it seemed to calm as they walked away, before something shouted by the defendant “provoked” Ashton into turning back. When she returned to the drop-off point she could not see him at first — then realised he was under the car. “I was hysterical, screaming, I called the ambulance straight away,” she said. She described Turkmani afterwards as “calm” and showing “no emotion”.
A neighbour who watched from a bedroom window said he saw the defendant drive over Ashton, reverse about a car’s length, then drive forward again. “I could hear what sounded like him being dragged along the floor,” he told the court.
Defence barrister Tom Wainwright challenged both witnesses’ recollection. He reminded the neighbour that at the scene he had initially told police the driver had not realised Ashton was under the car.
Why drivers are watching
Passenger soiling is a familiar headache on the circuit. What this case turns on — and what the jury must decide — is whether the death was deliberate, reckless or something else. Until verdict, Turkmani remains entitled to the presumption of innocence on all charges.
For the trade, the bare facts already reported are a stark reminder: once a fare ends in a roadside row, every word, every movement of the vehicle and every second of CCTV can end up in front of a Crown Court jury. Stay calm, step away, call for help if you need it — and never turn the car into part of the argument.
The trial continues.