Crystal Palace Star Fighting Dangerous Driving Rap Over Motorway Crash

Court Date: Souare

Crystal Palace star Pape Souare is being privately prosecuted for dangerous driving by another motorist involved in the motorway crash that nearly ended the footballer’s career.

The 27 year-old left-back suffered a broken right thigh and jaw and had to be cut from the wreckage of his £135,000 black Mercedes G63 SUV and airlifted to hospital. 

The Senegal international appeared at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday on a summons of driving dangerously on the M4 on September 11, last year.

He did not enter the plea, but is fighting the case and a trial date for July 16 next year was set.

The prosecution is being brought by Darshan Dube, 34, of Cranbourne Road, Slough, who was charged by the police with driving his 2.5 litre BMW without due care and attention.

Souare’s lawyer Ian Bridge told the court he would be making dismissal and abuse of process applications before the trial date.

M4: Crash Scene

Souare, who recently returned to first-team action after 373 days out, was a prosecution witness in that case.

The Senegal international, who lives in a Thameside apartment in Lambeth Embankment, was a £3.5m signing by the Eagles from French club Reims in January, 2015.

After dropping off a friend at Heathrow Airport he crashed the vehicle into the central reservation and firefighters had to slice off the roof to rescue him from the wreckage.

He was taken by helicopter to the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel.