New Year’s Eve crash driver remanded in police custody (update 3)

The driver of a pick-up truck which crashed into another vehicle killing its four occupants on New Year’s Eve was remanded in custody for six days on Tuesday.

Court proceedings took place at the Limassol hospital where the man, aged 44, is still being treated.

He stands accused of causing death by negligence and running a red traffic light.

The man denied this in the court hearing on Tuesday, and said the light was on green when he passed it.

Police have obtained CCTV footage of the man running a red traffic light at the junction at which the incident occurred and have also taken witness statements from drivers who were on the road at the time.

The driver was arrested shortly after the accident and had been treated since at Limassol general hospital for broken ribs. Later in the day on Tuesday, he was released from hospital and taken to a holding cell in Limassol, where he will stay for the duration of his remand.

The four victims of the accident, which happened shortly after midnight on Sunday in the area of Kato Polemidia, were members of the same family, two grandchildren who were taking home their grandparents after celebrations.

Police identified the four as 27-year-old Vathoula Georgiou, 17-year-old Nikolas Georgiou, their grandfather, 73-year-old Nikolas Zavrou and 74-year-old Evanthia Georgiou, their grandmother.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Ayias Anastasias and Yiannis Kranidiotis street.

The second car was being driven by 27-year-old Georgiou, who had almost completed a right turn when the vehicle was struck.

The victims died upon impact while the fire service had to be called to remove them from the vehicle.

All four bodies were taken to Limassol general hospital, where doctors officially pronounced them dead. None of the victims had been wearing seatbelts.

The 44-year-old’s 38-year-old wife was also in the car and was taken to hospital and treated.

Police said the 44-year-old driver was given and alcotest and a narcotest, both of which came back negative.

The funerals of the four deceased will take place on Wednesday at the Holy Church of the Transfiguration of Christ in the village of Limnatis in Limassol. The funerals the Cyprus Mail learned will be paid for by the deputy ministry of welfare.

On Thursday, police will conduct a reconstruction of the incident, with the aim of better understanding what occurred.

Limassol Traffic Police head Marios Charalambous said police are now taking statements from a taxi driver who was at the intersection where the incident took place.