Electric Car Blamed for Jumping Forward by Itself and Killing Five Year-Old as Driver Cleared

An electric car has been blamed for jumping forward by itself and killing a five year-old as the driver is cleared by a court of causing the child’s death amid similar reports of malfunctioning vehicles. The Telegraph has the story.

Ashenafei Demissie, 53, was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen ID.4 when it suddenly accelerated forward, killing Fareed Amir and seriously injuring his own 12 year-old son, on November 25th 2022.

At a week-long Old Bailey trial, a crash expert for the prosecution said Demissie, a minicab driver, had inadvertently pressed the accelerator pedal. But the defendant said the car had moved forward by itself, possibly because of a software malfunction.

A jury deliberated for five hours before finding Demissie not guilty of causing death and serious injury by careless driving.

The jurors had not been told that, as a result of publicity about the death of Fareed, a dozen EV drivers got in touch with lawyers to report concerns about their cars, including some with the same model involved in Demissie’s case.

After leaving the dock, a tearful Demissie dropped to his knees and prayed before leaving court.

Previously, the court had heard that the minicab driver had picked up his younger son from school on the afternoon of November 25th. He stopped his leased Volkswagen ID.4 in the car park outside his flat in Borough, south London, and waited for a parking space to become free.

Fareed, who was the son of a neighbour, was nearby with Demissie’s older son when the vehicle suddenly moved forward, hitting them and crashing into five parked cars.

The child died from his injuries, and the defendant’s son suffered fractures to his lower limbs in the crash, which was witnessed by both the boys’ mothers.

In a police interview, the defendant said: “Suddenly the car jumped. I believe the car jumped because Fareed triggered the sensor. I had never had any mechanical problems with the car before.

“Just like a moment of madness. I don’t know what happened exactly. I tried to brake. It was too late. It was just like a moment, second, whoosh and jump.”