A man who was travelling in a Range Rover that ended up on train tracks after crashing through barriers at around “120 mph” remained in a coma on Tuesday night.
Rida Al Mousawi, a 24-year-old Iraqi-born store manager, careered off the road in the 4×4 at around 3.50am on Monday, colliding with a Tesla charging station and parked car.
A 33-year-old woman was killed in the crash, while a 26-year-old woman was treated for non-life threatening injuries at the scene.
The vehicle plunged over a public footpath and onto tracks at Park Royal station, which remained blocked on Tuesday to Tube trains bound for central London.
Friends of Mr Al Mousawi’s family on Tuesday described him as a “gentle guy” from a good family.
A businessman based on the Edgware Road, who did not wish to be named, said: “He’s in a coma right now.
“His leg has not been amputated; they are going to wake him up in two days if everything is okay.
“They were saying that he was driving at 120mph but he had just left the petrol station.”
He added: “There’s no clear evidence who was driving. There is speculation that the girl was driving and not him.
“He’s well liked and from a good family.”
Tamer Osman, 30, owner of Direct Deal on Edgware Road, said: “He’s a gentle guy, very respectful of people.
“He’s helpful, he’s a social person."
Describing him as a "conservative guy", he added: "I’ve never seen him smoking.
“He is originally from Iraq and he is from a high-class family. He’s been in business here for a long time.”
Mr Osman added: “He’s currently being treated in special care.”
Oum Noor, 40, of Boutique Yacout Al Atlas, said the store manager, who was single, put his family first.
She said: “He’s such a good guy. I cried when I heard what happened because I was thinking of him. I saw him on Friday.
“He’s very generous, I call him an angel, I always say God bless you.
“He’s a family guy. When he’s finished, he goes home in his black Range Rover.”
Driver was ‘heading home from a party’ when crash happened
She said that she understood he had been heading home from a party when the incident happened.
He is said to have been returning from a special weekend at The Wish Lounge in Park Royal, which is popular among Iraqi men.
It is claimed racers had been spotted in the area taking part in late night contests.
Residents of Baronet House, which overlooks the crash scene, claimed they heard racing ahead of the accident.
A man, who did not wish to be named, said: “It is just frustrating because cars always race by the shisha lounge.”
A sole bouquet remained near the Tesla showroom on Tuesday in the wake of the collision.
Gurpreet Singh, a shop owner who works in Costcutter on nearby Hanger Green, said: “People have been shocked. For someone to come over with so much speed - it’s scary.”
