Epileptic Driver Jailed After West End Crash

Sunainah Amber, a 23-year-old student, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for causing serious injury by dangerous driving. In November 2024, Amber experienced an epileptic fit while driving her mother's car in London's West End, resulting in her vehicle mounting the pavement and injuring two pedestrians, one of whom was thrown into a fountain.

Amber had been diagnosed with epilepsy in July 2024 after a seizure at home and was explicitly told by doctors not to drive for at least a year. She was also instructed to inform the DVLA of her condition. However, she failed to comply with these medical directives.

The incident occurred as Amber was driving a friend, Aysha Cheema, through Piccadilly Circus. Ms. Cheema attempted to escape the out-of-control vehicle as it accelerated. Both Amber, who suffered a fractured leg, and pedestrian Marlon Villerreal, who sustained cuts, bruises, and bleeding on his brain, were hospitalized.

During sentencing, Judge Alexander Milne KC noted Amber's deliberate choice to ignore her doctor's advice, stating she was fortunate not to have killed anyone. Amber will serve just over a year before parole eligibility and has been banned from driving for three years and four months.