Epileptic driver who took cocaine before killing toddler in her pushchair and injuring her father when he ploughed into them on the pavement admits causing death by dangerous driving

• Lee Burford, 44, ignored medical advice and continued to drive his Renault Clio 
• Zhaoxi Wang, who was strapped in a pushchair, died and father Qi Wang injured
• Burford pleaded guilty to causing death and injury by dangerous driving
• He was jailed for four years and two months and admitted fraud by dishonest

An epileptic driver who took cocaine has admitted killing a toddler and injuring her father when his car mounted the pavement and ploughed into the family. 

Zhaoxi Wang, who was strapped in a pushchair ‘facing forward’, was being walked to the park in Ruislip, west London with her father, Qi Wang, and mother when the Renault Clio mounted the pavement.  

Lee Burford’s Renault Clio struck Mr Wang, breaking his arm, and killing his child on October 25 2020. 

The vehicle continued on the pavement, hit a telephone exchange box and sign post before coming to a stop in the road, the Old Bailey was told. 

Burford, 44, pleaded guilty to causing death and injury by dangerous driving, admitting he had ignored medical advice, striking Mr Wang and the pushchair. 

On Thursday, Burford, from Harrow, was jailed for four years and two months. 

Zhaoxi Wang, who was strapped in a pushchair ‘facing forward’, was being walked to the park near Eastcote Road, Ruislip, west London with her father, Qi Wang, and mother

The crash happened at about 4.20pm on a stretch of Eastcote Road (pictured, an image of the road) with a 30mph speed limit

He was handed concurrent sentences for causing injury by dangerous driving and fraudulently failing to declare he suffered from fits to gain employment as a driver in 2017.

The defendant was also disqualified from driving for seven years and one month.

Opening the facts, Catherine Pattison told the Old Bailey: ‘The tragic nature of the case is perhaps even more significant because had he notified the DVLA of a seizure he suffered four months earlier on June 22 2020, then Mr Burford would not have had a driving licence at all.’

The prosecutor said the defendant had disregarded advice of medics not only about his epilepsy but also non-prescription drug use and continued to drive regardless.

She said: ‘It would appear he consumed a quantity of cocaine sometime before getting behind the wheel of October 25 2020, the date of the fatal collision.’

The crash happened at about 4.20pm on a stretch of road with a 30mph speed limit.

Ms Pattison said: ‘At the time of the collision Zhaoxi was strapped into her pushchair. She was facing forward.’

Burford’s Clio mounted the pavement and struck Mr Wang and the pushchair.

‘Mr Wang was thrown sideways towards a low wall and the pushchair was thrown into the air and landed onto the road.’

The vehicle continued on the pavement, hit a telephone exchange box and sign post before coming to a stop in the road, the court heard.

Mr Wang suffered a broken arm and his young daughter’s injuries were too serious and she died at the scene, the court was told.

In a victim impact statement Mr Wang said losing their daughter had been ‘absolutely devastating for us’ and he was left feeling angry and helpless.

He said: ‘What I would like to say to the defendant is; you should have stayed away from driving.

‘You will never know how it feels to be in this situation. To be in our shoes.

‘We were trying to be responsible, good citizens, abiding by the law but of course we had no control over other people. You did the opposite.’

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