Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn want to sue the US government for "their illegal misconduct" and the "attempt at coverup" in the case of Harry Dunn. The 19-year-old had been fatally injured at the end of August when his motorcycle crashed into the car of a US diplomat's wife near a British Air Force base.
His parents, according to their lawyer, now claim both against the government of US President Donald Trump and against the 42-year-old, who was on the wrong side of the road before the accident.
She had left Britain after the accident, relying on diplomatic immunity, before she could be questioned by the police. In a statement by her lawyers cited by the US media, the diplomat's wife admitted that she was sitting at the wheel of the accident car.
The parents of the casualty Dunn had already tried, with the US government to obtain a delivery of 42-year-olds to Britain, but to no avail. Now they accuse the government of having "brought the diplomat's wife back to the US so she never comes to court."
Father "disgusted" and "shocked" by the behavior of the driver
The aim of the lawsuit against the government in Washington is to bring the driver before a British court and "to expose the wrongdoing of the US government," said the family lawyer, Radd Seiger, the news agency AFP.
Dunns father Tim told Sky News that his family was "disgusted" and "shocked" by the behavior of the driver. "I'm angry that someone does something like that and then gets on a plane and disappears," he said.
The case also sparked diplomatic tensions between Britain and the United States. US President Trump described the event as a "terrible accident". Many US citizens have problems driving on the left side of the road in the UK, the president added.
Johnson wants to "speak personally to the White House"
In mid-October, he received Dunn's parents in the White House. They later explained that Trump had been "cordial" and "hospitable." However, they criticized his attempt to organize a spontaneous meeting with the wife of the US diplomat - she was waiting with photographers in the neighboring room.
The family has also filed a lawsuit against the British government for failing to prevent the diplomat's wife's departure. Premier Boris Johnson promised he would contact the US Ambassador in London. The diplomatic immunity, which actually applies to the emissaries of other countries, is not provided for this matter. "If we can not solve it this way, I will discuss the issue personally with the White House," Johnson said.
