A five-year-old boy died after being struck by an electric car that was found to be in perfect working order and did not move on its own, a court has been told.
Tragedy Outside London Flats
Fareed Amir suffered fatal head injuries when a Volkswagen ID.4 driven by 53-year-old Ashenafei Demissie suddenly accelerated into him. The incident occurred outside a block of flats near London Bridge Station in November 2022.
Demissie, a cab driver, is now on trial at the Old Bailey. He faces charges of causing the death of Fareed and seriously injuring his own 12-year-old son, who was also hit during the collision.
The Driver's Account and Police Findings
The court heard that Demissie had returned home after picking up his younger son from school on the day of the tragedy. He told jurors that Fareed, the boy's mother Rosa, and his own older son were standing near his parked car in Borough, south London.
Demissie claimed he offered sweets to the children before a sudden fault caused the vehicle to accelerate unexpectedly. "Suddenly the car jumped," he said in a police interview read to the court. "I believe the car jumped because Fareed triggered the sensor... I tried to brake. It was like too late."
His defence asserted that Demissie did not press the accelerator and the car "moved of its own accord."
However, Metropolitan Police traffic collision investigator Mark Still gave contradictory evidence. He told the Old Bailey that his examination of the Volkswagen in December 2022 revealed no defects.
Expert Concludes Driver Error
"I was unable to find any defect that contributed to the collision and I was unable to make the car accelerate without the driver driving," Mr Still stated. He described the incident as a clear case of pedal misapplication.
He explained a known phenomenon where drivers mistakenly press the accelerator instead of the brake. "Because the driver thinks they have their foot on the brake, they will likely press harder to make it stop…It spirals out of control," he told the court.
The officer concluded that the alleged fault could not be replicated and that the vehicle required driver input to move.
Demissie broke down in tears while giving evidence, recalling how his injured son told him "Daddy hurts" after the crash. He has denied all charges against him. The trial was adjourned until Thursday.
