A minicab driver has been acquitted of causing the death of a five-year-old boy and serious injury to his own son, after telling a court his electric car suddenly 'jumped' forward on its own.
The Tragic Incident in South London
Ashenafei Demissie, a 53-year-old driver, was behind the wheel of a leased Volkswagen ID.4 on the afternoon of 25 November 2022. He had parked in the car park outside his home in Borough, south London, after collecting his younger son from school.
Five-year-old Fareed Amir and Demissie's 12-year-old son were playing nearby. Demissie had just offered Fareed a lollipop when, he claimed, the vehicle unexpectedly surged forward. It struck both children before crashing into five parked cars.
Fareed later died from his injuries. Demissie's son sustained multiple fractures to his lower legs. The horrifying crash was witnessed by both boys' mothers.
A Week-Long Trial and Conflicting Evidence
During a trial at the Old Bailey, the prosecution argued the collision was caused by driver error. A Metropolitan Police traffic collision investigator, Mark Still, told the court he believed it was a case of 'pedal misapplication'.
"I was unable to find any defect that contributed to the collision," Mr Still said. "I found no faults with the operation of the vehicle, including steering, brake and acceleration."
However, under cross-examination, he acknowledged he was not a computer expert or software engineer.
Demissie maintained his innocence. "Suddenly the car jumped," he told police. "I believe the car jumped because Fareed triggered the sensor. I had never had any mechanical problems with the car before." He described the event as "just like a moment of madness".
When asked by his defence barrister, Stephen Knight, if he pressed the accelerator, Demissie replied: "Never. I didn't touch it."
Verdict and Unanswered Questions
After five hours of deliberation, the jury found Ashenafei Demissie not guilty of causing death and serious injury by careless driving.
Jurors were not told that, following publicity around the case, around a dozen electric vehicle owners had contacted legal teams with concerns about their own cars, including several who drove the same Volkswagen ID.4 model.
Judge Alexia Durran KC thanked Fareed's family for the "dignity" they had shown throughout the proceedings. Demissie told the court that the boy's death caused him "never-ending pain".
The case raises significant questions about the complex software systems in modern electric vehicles and how alleged faults are investigated. The Independent has contacted Volkswagen for comment.
