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Drug-Fueled Truck Rampage Ends in Murder Trial
6 Jan
Summary
- Man allegedly murdered by truck driven by accused in pursuit of drugs.
- Victim suffered fatal injuries when pinned to a tree by the vehicle.
- Three men deny charges including murder, robbery, and perverting justice.
A drug addict allegedly used his pickup truck as a murder weapon in a desperate chase for crack cocaine. Arlind Xhokola, 26, sustained fatal rib and spine injuries when pinned to a tree by the vehicle, reportedly driven by Jeremy Heath, on March 29 in Harlow, Essex. Prosecutors stated Xhokola had no chance against the attack, which stemmed from the defendants' addiction.
The accused, Jeremy Heath, 51, denies murder, robbery, perverting the course of justice, and possessing a knife. His alleged accomplices, Joe Jones, 38, and Matthew Arnold, 40, also deny involvement in a robbery earlier that day. The prosecution contends that the three men, all addicted to crack cocaine, committed these crimes in pursuit of their addiction.
According to the prosecution, the men mistakenly robbed a man of his car, believing it contained drugs. They then abandoned the car and continued their search, encountering Xhokola and two friends shortly before 17:30 GMT. A chase ensued, culminating in the fatal collision. The vehicle was later found burned to destroy evidence.
