Driver confirms death of five-year-old child after electric car 'moved on its own'

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a driver electric car He was found not guilty of causing the death of a five-year-old boy, claiming the car “jumped” forward on its own, hitting the boy and injuring his own 12-year-old son.

Ashenafei Demissie, a 53-year-old minicab driver, was driving a Volkswagen ID.4 when he suddenly accelerated forward. Kill Farid Amir On November 25, 2022, his son was seriously injured.

In a one-week trial Old BaileyA prosecution collision expert told the court the collision occurred when Demissi accidentally stepped on the accelerator.

However, Demissi insisted the vehicle would move forward on its own, suggesting a possible software glitch.

After five hours of deliberations, the jury found him not guilty of careless driving causing death and serious injury.

Unbeknownst to jurors, about a dozen electric car owners contacted the legal team with concerns about their cars after the case came to light, including several who drove the same model as Demissi.

The court previously heard Demissie picked up his young son from school on the afternoon of November 25. He parked his rented Volkswagen ID.4 in a car park outside his home in the south London borough, waiting for a space to become available.

Fareed Amir, 5, was hit and killed by a Volkswagen ID.4 in 2022. The driver claimed that the ID.4 “jumped forward” on his own (family handouts)

Two boys were playing nearby and Demissi had just handed Farid a lollipop when the vehicle suddenly moved forward, hitting them and then crashing into five parked cars.

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Farid later died of his injuries, and Demissi’s son suffered multiple fractures in his lower leg. The crash was witnessed by the mother of two boys.

“Suddenly, the car jumped. I believe the car jumped because Farid triggered the sensor. I have never had any mechanical problems with my previous cars,” Demissi said in an interview with police.

Speaking about the incident, Demissi said it was “like a crazy moment. I didn’t know what the hell was going on. I tried to brake. But it was too late. It was like a split second, a second, whoosh.”

He told police his son said: “Daddy’s hurt, daddy’s hurt, daddy’s hurt, daddy’s hurt,” as he covered his son so he couldn’t see his injuries, PA reported.

The car struck 5-year-old Fareed Amir, the driver's own 12-year-old son, and then hit five other parked cars — The car struck 5-year-old Fareed Amir, the driver’s own 12-year-old son, and then hit five other parked cars (family handouts)

Testifying in court, Demissi told jurors that Farid’s death was “a never-ending pain.”

Defense attorney Stephen Knight asked: “Did you hit the accelerator and cause this collision?”

Demissi replied: “Never. I didn’t touch it.”

A Metropolitan Police traffic accident investigator told the court he believed the incident was caused by the defendant’s “misuse of the pedal” and said he found no evidence of a technical fault with the vehicle.

Mark Steele said: “I was unable to find any defect that caused the collision and I was unable to get the car to accelerate without the driver behind the wheel.

“I saw no issues with the operation of the vehicle, including steering, braking and acceleration. I could not get the vehicle to move without any additional input. You have to take action to get the vehicle to move.”

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Mr Steele added that he could not find anything that would cause the car to move forward without the driver actually working on it.

But under cross-examination, he said he was not a computer expert or a software engineer.

After sentencing, Judge Alexia Durran KC thanked Farid’s family in court for their “dignity” throughout the trial.

independent Volkswagen has been contacted for comment.