Remand for man involved in crash that killed three people

The 25-year-old driver of a pick-up truck which crashed head on with another pick-up on Saturday in the Polemidhia area of Limassol, killing three people, was remanded by the court on Sunday for five days.

The crash killed Andreas Yiasemi and Demetris Savva, both 32, as well as Panayiotis Stefanou, 23.

Police said they established that the suspect had attacked a taxi driver in the Yermasoyia area of Limassol just a few hours earlier. He had been driving at a slow speed, annoying the taxi driver behind him. When the taxi driver honked his horn, the 25-year-old had allegedly got out of his car and hit the taxi driver on his face and head through the open front window.

The taxi driver was treated at hospital.

Some hours later the crash occurred in which the three people in the pick-up were killed.

Limassol police said the crash had been most violent and that at least one of the two vehicles had been driven at high speed, while one of the two had run a red light.

Following the crash, the victims’ car went on to hit a traffic-light pole.

The three men had to be removed from the car by the Fire Service.

They were rushed to the Limassol general hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

Traffic police said none of them wore a seat belt.

The two people riding in the second pick-up truck – the suspect and his passenger – were also picked up by ambulances.

The driver was taken to a private clinic, while the passenger, also 25, was taken to Limassol general. Both received treatment for light injuries.

The 25-year-old denies having run a red light, leading to the crash. A breathalyser test on him gave a reading of 33mg, 11mg over the maximum allowed by law.

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