Man on trial for running over two teenagers

abu dhabi — A motorist who allegedly ran over two boys while they were crossing a road is back in court after the public prosecution challenged his acquittal verdict.

The Abu Dhabi Appeals Court on Sunday heard that the European expat accidentally ran over two Emirati boys, as they crossed a busy road on Yas Island last year.

Court documents stated that the boys aged 12 and 13 were crossing the road from a non-pedestrian crossing area near the Yas Mall, along with their younger brother.

The Dubai-based motorist did not notice the teenagers as they suddenly appeared in front of his car, and accidentally knocked them down before running over them. The police said the two boys died on the spot while their brother escaped unhurt.

The boys’ father said his children had been dropped at Yas Mall by their sister, who was apparently going for an exam at a school near Yas Island in the morning. She was supposed to pick them up later.

“And when the boys went to the mall’s entrance, a security guard said they could not enter because it was not yet time for the mall to open. They then went to walk around and got hit by the car.”

The Abu Dhabi public Prosecution

I tried hard to apply the break to save the children, but unfortunately could not.” The defendant

had charged the motorist with unintentionally killing the boys in a road accident. The Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance earlier acquitted him on grounds that the boys had suddenly entered the road and crossed from a non-pedestrian crossing area.

Prosecutors, however, challenged the verdict stressing that it wasn’t proper to acquit the driver after the death of two teenagers.

During the hearing on Sunday, the man admitted to hitting the boys, but stressed that it was unavoidable accident as the boys suddenly appeared in front of his vehicle at a wrong spot, which was not meant for pedestrian crossing.

“I was driving from Dubai towards Yas Mall, within the speed limits when the boys suddenly appeared in front of the car,” he said.

“I was in the fourth lane and I tried hard to apply the break to save the children, but unfortunately I could not.”

ismail@khaleejtimes.com