Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a U.S. diplomat, is accused of causing the 2019 accident that killed 19-year-old motorcyclist Harry Dunn and will officially have her case heard in a British court, the Crown Prosecution Service announced Monday.
Prosecutors said Sacoolas's charge of causing death by dangerous driving for the August 2019 accident where she was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road outside RAF Croughton military base will be heard in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court on January 18, 2022.
The hearing will reportedly take place virtually, and while attorneys representing Sacoolas said they have discussed Sacoolas appearing virtually in court, they said no agreement to do so is officially in place.
After the August 27, 2019, accident, the U.S. government invoked diplomatic immunity for Sacoolas and brought her back to America 19 days after the accident, according to The Guardian. The State Department later denied a January 2020 extradition request to return her to Britain for a trial, according to CNN.
Dunn's family have been vocal in their criticism of both governments for refusing to hold Sacoolas accountable, but reached a "resolution" to a civil case they brought against her in September, according to The Guardian. The family said the resolution in the civil case does not mean they're letting go of the criminal charges.
"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," said Dominic Raab, at the time Britain's Foreign Secretary, in June, according to CNN.
Dunn's father, Tim Dunn, said he still couldn't forgive the U.S. government for granting Sacoolas immunity and avoiding the charge for two years.
"I wish our Government could have done more to stop this injustice and it should not have been down to us to have to fight as hard as we have had to," he said.
"While the challenges and complexity of this case are well known, we remain committed to securing justice in this matter," the prosecution service said.
Dunn's family have pressed politicians in Britain and the United States to get Sacoolas to face British justice, but an extradition request was refused by U.S. authorities.
Dunn's mother, Charlotte Charles, said the family felt "very emotional and overwhelmed, having just learned the news that Mrs. Sacoolas is now to face our justice system. It is all that we asked for following Harry's death."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
