Jail for Tesla driver who killed a mum and daughter after speeding during storm

A DRIVER has been jailed for causing the deaths of a South Wales mother and daughter after speeding in heavy rain during a storm.

- MATHILDE GRANDJEAN

Firas Zeineddine was convicted because data from his own Tesla car recorded him driving at more than 90mph on the M4 in Wiltshire during 2023's Storm Babet which brought strong winds and heavy rains to the UK.

The 46-year-old was jailed for 12 months at Swindon Crown Court on Monday after pleading guilty to two counts of causing the death by careless driving of Cheryl Woods, 61, and Sarha Smith, 40, Wiltshire Police said.

Zeineddine, from Keynsham, Bristol, was driving a Tesla Model Y in the outside lane of the motorway in October 2023 when he lost control because of the surface water.

The aquaplaning caused him to smash into a lorry which then hit the car of Ms Woods, 61, and Ms Smith, 40, who had stopped on the hard shoulder because of an earlier crash, police said.