Dad to be 'died in hospital waiting room' after being 'crushed by car' at party, jury told

Dad to be 'died in hospital waiting room' after being 'crushed by car' at party, jury told Jashan Singh is on trial for the murder of Navpreet Singh after an incident at Phoenix Park in Wolverhampton last year - prosecutors opened their case on Monday An expectant dad died in a hospital waiting room after he was 'crushed to death' by an alleged killer who 'deliberately' ran him over twice, a murder trial has heard. Jashan Singh 'aimed' his Mercedes at Navpreet Singh and mowed him down near Phoenix Park, in Wolverhampton, during Diwali celebrations last year, prosectors told the first day of Jashan Singh's trial. As he lay on the ground, Jashan is said to have 'reversed' the car just 'to make sure' the 26-year-old was either dead or seriously hurt before 'fleeing' the scene 'at speed'. Navpreet's friends rushed him to hospital after the 'violent attack' but he died in the waiting room at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, reports Birmingham Live. Opening the case on Monday, September 28, prosecutor Timothy Hannam KC said: "Jashan killed Navpreet by deliberately driving his Mercedes car over him, not once but twice, crushing him and causing him to sustain extremely serious internal injuries. "Although his friends rushed him to New Cross Hospital, where medics tried to save him, Navpreet was pronounced dead in the waiting area." Navpreet, who is survived by his pregnant wife, was 'not the sort of person' who was 'out looking for trouble', Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. Mr Hannam went on: "The prosecution say that Jashan aimed at Navpreet and ran him over and then reversed back over him to make sure that he was either seriously injured or dead and then, knowing that he had just done something awful, drove off and fled, crossing a red light at the first junction at the park. "Navpreet died of crush injuries caused by the car running over him. "The injuries to his leg, says the pathologist, are consistent with him being upright before being knocked over by the car the first time." Jashan, 21, of Cannock Road, Wolverhampton, denies murder and an alternative count of causing death by dangerous driving on October 22, 2025. His co-defendant Mohit Singh, 18, of Tangmere Road, Wolverhampton, denies violent disorder and perverting the course of justice. It is alleged that Jashan and Mohit 'swapped items of clothing to avoid detection and arrest by police' in the wake of the alleged murder. Jurors were told that a third man, Prabhjot Singh, 18, of St Lukes Garden, Wolverhampton, admitted a single count of violent disorder ahead of the trial. Mr Hannam told the court how Navpreet and his friends were in a 'good mood' and 'having fun' as they celebrated the festival of Diwali during the evening of Tuesday, October 21, and into the early hours of Wednesday, October 22. He said: "Navpreet had gone with friends to Phoenix Park to celebrate. They danced, they listened to music, they let off fireworks and they drank alcohol. "These defendants and some of their friends went to the same park." Jurors heard how the alleged murder is said to have taken place during the 'tail end of a fight' at about 1.05am on October 22 last year. 'Disorder' broke out near a bus stop, close to Phoenix Park's car park, before Navpreet was struck by the Mercedes. Mr Hannam said: "What we can't say with any clarity is what's going on behind that bus stop but during the trial, you will hear evidence from two witnesses who were present there with Navpreet and saw what happened and how it started." Navpreet's brother-in-law told police how the defendants' group started 'chatting' with their group before 'some of them became rude'. He alleged he was 'attacked' and 'knocked' to the ground, with Navpreet coming to his aid before also being knocked to the ground. A second witness - a friend of Navpreet - said members of the defendants' group 'went for' Navpreet's brother-in-law when he tried to 'shake the hand of a man' in the other group but was 'rejected'. He told police Mohit started the fight, while Prabhjot hit Navpreet with an 'iron rod' as he lay on the ground. Navpreet got up from the ground, walked to the front passenger side of the Mercedes and 'kicked it'. Mr Hannam said: "He had, of course, just been attacked." He went on: "The Crown say this, the Mercedes was then driven forward, at speed, deliberately at Navpreet, and ran him over. "Someone shouted that their guy was under the car. The windows of the Mercedes were open. "Then, and this is why the prosecution say this is clearly murder, Jashan reverses the car back over Navpreet's body, in circumstances the Crown say he must have been aware of what he was doing." Jashan then left the scene, driving through a red light, the prosecutor said. There is 'no dispute' that Jashan was driving the Mercedes which struck Navpreet, Mr Hannam said. Although his accounts to police are said to have 'changed over time', it is Jashan's case is that he did not intend to kill Navpreet or cause him really serious harm. Instead, his case is that those in Navpreet's group were the 'aggressors', he had been 'attacked' before he got into his car and he 'drove off in order to get away'. Mr Hannam said that Jashan's 'case is that he did not know that he had driven over Navpreet' - something the prosecution say is 'demonstrably untrue'. Navpreet was 'standing up and must have been clearly visible' when he was struck by the car the first time, Mr Hannam alleged. The trial continues.