By Paul Thornton
AN AMBULANCE driver was forced to jump to safety when a crazed driver raced his car at her after a parking bust-up.
Elaine Pringle, 26, was answering a call in Edinburgh when Asim Khalid tried to mow her down following an argument about where she had parked.
The care support worker had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over as her eagle-eyed co-worker noted his registration number to track him down.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court 22-year-old Khalid was hauled off the roads after he admitted dangerous driving.
The court heard how Miss Pringle had been on duty on the afternoon of June 27 this year with a colleague.
Miss Pringle parked the emergency vehicle in Edinburgh’s Elgin Street where they noticed Khalid in a silver car nearby.
Fiscal depute Beverly Adam said Khalid expressed annoyance at where Miss Pringle had parked the ambulance but drove off.
But unemployed Khalid turned his car around at the top of the street and speeded back down the road towards the terrified care workers.
And, Miss Adam said, when he neared the ambulance crew he swerved in an attempt to run Miss Pringle down and she was forced to jump out of the way.
Miss Adam said: “The accused turned at the top of the street and drove toward them at some speed and swerved to hit them. Miss Pringle had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck.”
Before Khalid sped off her colleague was able to take a note of his registration number which police used to track down the motor-maniac.
And when they questioned him in July he admitted that he had been the driver of the car.
Miss Adam said: “He said he had been parked in Elgin Street and was about to move off when the ambulance got in his way. He said he was not annoyed at the driver of the ambulance and simply drove off.”
Khalid’s solicitor, Emma Todd, said her client had been going through a bad time when the offence was committed following the death of his grandmother but could offer no explanation for his bizarre and dangerous behaviour.
Miss Todd added: “He is extremely sorry about it.”
Sheriff Douglas Allan deferred sentence for background reports but imposed an interim disqualification in the meantime.
He said: “This is not only very stupid, it is also dangerous and it is at the high end of this charge – all sentence options remain open.
“To drive like this at a member of an ambulance crew while they are on duty does question what the sentence is going to be but we have to find out more about your background first.”
Sheriff Allan ordered reports and Khalid, of Easter Road, Edinburgh, could face jail in January.
