US diplomat's wife to face trial in UK over British teenager's death

The wife of an American intelligence officer is set to go to trial at a British court for allegedly killing a teenager Harry Dunn, the United Kingdom Crown Prosecution Service informed on Monday. Anne Sacoolas is accused of dangerous driving and running over Dunn near Northamptonshire on August 19. As per reports, 44-year-old Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road when her car collided with Dunn's motorbike flinging him off the road, Politico reported.

The incident took place near an RAF Croughton, US Airbase in southern England, where Sacoolas' husband was posted as US technical assistant. The duo left the UK shortly after the incident, claiming diplomatic immunity. As of now, Sacoolas will face legal proceedings on January 18 in London's Westminster Magistrate's Court. “While the challenges and complexity of this case are well known, we remain committed to securing justice in this matter,” the prosecution service told New York Post.

US State Department rejects Britain's request to extradite Sacoolas

Sacoolas will appear in front of the jury through a video link from the States. Soon after the charges were slapped on Sacoolas for plowing her car into 19-year-old Dunn's bike, Britain requested US State Department to allow the extradition of the accused, which was immediately rejected, prompting a widespread outcry in the UK. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss took to Twitter to "welcome the news that Anne Sacoolas will face a UK court" adding that the government continues to support Dunn's family comprising of his mother Charlotte Charles and stepfather Bruce Charles, CNN reported However, US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter "didn't have anything new to announce" when pressed about the development in the case.

The issue of the validity of diplomatic immunity has put US-Britain relations to falter since the fatal crash, even after Dominic Raab, then-foreign secretary of UK had said that the US would not object to a remote trial."The US has not agreed to the extradition, but the path is clear for the legal authorities in the UK to approach Anne Sacoolas's lawyers -- without any problem from the US government -- to see whether some kind of virtual trial or process could allow some accountability and some solace and some justice for the Dunn family," Raab had said in an interview with the BBC.

It is pertinent to mention that the UK court's decision comes as a major development after previous attempts to resolve the incident in court floundered after the US court rejected permission to extradite Sacoolas. Meanwhile, CPS, the firm representing Sacoolas in a written message to CNN informed that there is no agreement stating that the client has to physically appear in the hearing. "While we have always been willing to discuss a virtual hearing, there is no agreement at this time," a spokesperson for Arnold and Porter from CPS told CNN.

Dunn's family welcome UK court's decision

Besides criminal charges, Dunn's parents had brought a civil lawsuit against Sacoolas in Virginia, where the accused lives with her husband. The lawsuit reached a settlement in September. On Monday, Dunn's parents expressed happiness and welcomed the prospect of a court hearing, with Charlotte saying she felt "very emotional."

"It's been an exhausting and frustrating time since Harry's death but my family and I are feeling very emotional and overwhelmed having just learned the news that Mrs. Sacoolas is now to face our justice system," Charlotte Charles said in a statement on Monday, as quoted by CNN.

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