Mourners were set to gather today to pay their respects to a cab driver who died after his car crashed while being towed by an AA recovery van.
Abdullah Bakar’s funeral at East London Mosque was due to be held today. Before the event, family, friends and colleagues described him as “the loveliest guy you could ever meet”.
Witnesses to the crash which killed the 48-year-old say he was at the wheel of his black Vauxhall Zafira as it was being towed to a garage in Croydon on Tuesday morning.
The car suddenly swerved, crashed into a grass bank and then broke away from the patrol van before hitting another car.
He died two hours later in St George’s Hospital in Tooting.
Mr Bakar, from Croydon, is understood to have called the AA after breaking down on his way to work.
He was a part time driver with Eazy Cars in South London having sold his own cab company last year.
He was also doing “the Knowledge” in a bid to become a black cab driver.
His colleague at Eazy Cars, Usman Patel, said the father of seven, originally from Somalia, was a hard and popular worker.
“We are so sad, we all went to the hospital. You could not meet a nicer guy and family man. He was such a popular driver you couldn’t meet a lovelier guy. He worked part time here and was an extremely hard working.
“He was doing the Knowledge to better himself.”
Neighbour Mavis Constable said: “He would help neighbours out with anything, he was a real gentleman. We only saw him the other day.
“I could not have got a better neighbour.”
The 73-year-old added: “He was a family man who was always busy. He loved his children and they came over to see him often. They’re all so polite and well behaved. I’ve known him for years.
“I’ve seen many of his children grow up. He’s always lived alone, although one son used to stay with him quite often. He was separated from his wife but they were still in contact and got on. When I heard he died I just froze. I’m still in shock now. My heart goes out to his children.”
The crash happened on Coombe Road in Croydon just after 9am on Tuesday.
London’s Air Ambulance flew to the scene and the two men were treated by medics at the roadside, near the entrance to the Coombe Lodge Beefeater restaurant.
The other injured man was taken to Croydon University Hospital with a chest injury.
At some point during the collision, Mr Bakar’s car apparently flipped over.
Residents living half a mile away said they heard the noise from the crash.
Mother-of-two Naz Dagnell said: “It was like a big thunder crash. Then I heard the sirens going up the road and saw the air ambulance.
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“I was absolutely shocked when I heard what had happened. It’s really sad to hear of something like this happening so close to your doorstep.
“There have been some quite serious accidents on that stretch of road where they have had to cut people out of vehicles.”
No arrests have been made.
A spokesman for the AA said: “This was a very sad incident which is under investigation. We cannot say any more at this stage.”
