A MAN accused of being the driver in a fatal hit-and-run accident that killed a 17-year-old schoolboy on New Year’s Day yesterday told a Nicosia Court he wished he was one who died.
Giorgos Mavrikios had been standing next to a car parked on the pavement on Strovolos Avenue in Tseri at around 3.20am on New Year’s Day with his girlfriend, Agathi Tryfonos, also 17, when a white Mercedes careened into them and drove off.
Driver, Savvas Savva, 28 from Tseri, has pleaded guilty to causing death by negligent driving and abandoning the scene of an accident.
He pleaded not guilty to drink driving, despite twice failing an alcotest later that morning.
Savva could face up to three years’ imprisonment.
Yesterday, Savva took the stand to give his account on what happened on that fateful morning saying that he was not drunk but ill and that he could not remember hitting the pupil on his way home.
“I am prepared to face the consequences for what I have done”, he told the court “I wish I was the one who died.”
Relatives and friends of the victim yesterday attend the trial and listened as Savva told his account on what happened that morning.
According to the 28-year-old electrician, he was working on New Year’s Eve until 7pm that night and had gone to his mother’s house for soup because he was feeling a little bit ill. He also claimed to have had a glass of wine.
He then said that he then decided to go to a pub because he didn’t have anyone to spend New Year’s with.
“At the pub, I watched television with the owner but after a couple of drinks, I felt ill and decided to leave…On the way home, I could hardly keep my eyes open…I remember hitting what I thought was a side railing on the way home but since my car was the only thing damaged I continued my course and drove home.”
What asked by the prosecutor why he had pleaded guilty to the charge of killing the victim, he simply replied,
“I am prepared to take responsibility for what happened. If the evidence shows that it was my car that him then I am willing to accept that fact. I just cannot remember it happening.”
The trial continues on June 25 with Savva’s defence lawyer set to call up a doctor while the state prosecutor is also to call up the state pathologist who examined the 17-year-old’s body.
Judge Alexia Lycourgou also said that the closing arguments would take place on June 27.
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