Man charged over Dutch students' accident in Bahar ic-Caghaq

A 51 year-old man from Msida, Martin Micallef, was charged in court this morning over a serious traffic accident in which four Dutch students were hurt after being hit by a car while walking along the Bahar ic-Caghaq Coast Road. He was granted bail against a personal guarantee of EUR 5,000.

20 July 2010, 12:00am
by Karl Stagno-Navarra

1 min read

The accused pleaded not guilty to having driven negligently and dangerously and running over four Dutch students on the coast road yesterday at about 8.40pm.

He also pleaded not guilty of seriously injuring Abraham Petrus Beers, who suffered fractures, and slightly injuring Wephste Bart, Jum Sligtilg and Brinkhof Jocanda.

A police statement said that the foreigners - all Dutch students, - were hit by a car while walking on the road side close to the Splash and Fun Park.

It was reported that the impact was so violent that two of the students were hurled into the air and thrown onto the trees about one storey below the road level. They had to be rescued by Civil Protection personnel to lift them out of the trees.

A team of paramedics rushed to the scene, and the injured were taken to hospital by ambulance, where two are said to be in a critical condition.

The coast road lane from Qawra to St. Julians was closed to traffic and a magisterial inquiry was ongoing.

More from Karl Stagno-Navarra

Albert Zammit •

There is no sidewalk or pavement along this road. This road is poorly lit and nearby Bahar ic-Caghaq plays host to many young tourists. You often see them walking by at all hours of the night. Whether they were walking against or along the traffic makes no difference if the driver in question swerves ever so slightly to the edge of the road.

Alfred Galea •

If there is a sidewalk they should have been on it, if there isn't they should have been walking against traffic so they can see approaching cars. I don't know what happened but someone did not obey the law, these poor kids or the driver. Unless some medical problem on the part of the driver.