Additional charges expected against man charged in fatal north London crash

Additional charges are expected to be laid against a 23-year-old man charged in connection with an alleged fatal drunk driving crash that killed a 60-year-old woman one week ago.

It was exactly one week ago that 60-year-old Gloria Chivers was killed in an early morning crash at the intersection of Richmond and Sunningdale.

Investigators say an SUV driving on Sunningdale collided with a vehicle that was stopped at a red light. Police say Chivers was pronounced dead at the scene.

23-year-old Jinghao Zhou faces multiple charges in that case, but was granted bail on Tuesday. However, soon after that decision was made, he was taken back into custody by immigration officials.

Zhou’s lawyer Jim Dean says he’s been in contact with officials with the CBSA who tell him additional charges will be laid.

“I don’t know what those charges specifically are going to be but I understand they’re federal immigration charges and we’ll get more details.”

Dean told AM980 he was surprised by the additional charges, saying they were taken by surprise. Dean was advised just before Tuesday’s bail decision that a hold had been placed on his client.

Dean said it’s unclear what impact this will have on his bail status.

“He was released and it depends on what the allegations in the charges are and whether they’re prior to his release or after but certainly if there’s an opportunity to have another bail hearing and try and get him released I’ll certainly be doing that.”

Zhou is facing multiple charges from last week’s fatal crash including one count impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death, driving with more than 80mgs of alcohol in blood causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

11 people have been killed in collisions this year in London, including Chivers. Three of the deaths this year were pedestrians. That’s up from last year when seven people were killed in crashes including four pedestrians and one cyclist.