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| The car that Magsino failed to park properly mowed down a crowd before mounting a pavement |
Filipina domestic worker Reshielle L. Magsino haa been taken into custody ahead of her sentencing on March 6 for dangerous driving causing death and serious injury.
Magsino, 48, was convicted of both charges by Tsuen
Wan Deputy Magistrate Timothy Casewell on Feb 27, more than four years after
the car that the Filipina had parked on a slope on Peel Street in Central
rolled downhill, hitting several pedestrians.
One of those hit, French woman Elodie Ma, died in a
hospital afterwards while seven others suffered injuries, some of them serious.
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The incident happened on Dec. 10, 2021 after Lagurin
had gotten off the car along with her employer. The vehicle rolled down at a
fast clip and hit the victims while they were standing outside a bar at the corner
of Peel Street and Staunton Street.
Magsino had pleaded not guilty to the charges. But
in convicting her, the magistrate said she should have ensured the vehicle was
safely parked before getting off.
Experts called to testify at the long-delayed trial
ruled out mechanical failure, saying the car’s braking and parking systems were
working normally.
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Magsino, who had been on bail, was remanded in custody
after the verdict.
The case recalled a similar one that happened in
2018, when a runaway school bus rolled down Cheung Hong Street in North Point
and mounted a sidewalk after crossing busy King’s Road, killing five pedestrians
along the way and injuring two others.
Investigations revealed the 67-year-old driver Ng
Yiu-chung had failed to properly engage the handbrake.
Following the incident Ng was charged with leaving a
vehicle without a fixed parking brake, to which he pleaded guilty and received
a HK$2,000 fine. However, four years later, the prosecution added two charges
against him for causing death by dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily
harm by dangerous driving.
In February last year, District Judge Adrianna Tse permanently
halted proceedings for the second charge, and criticised the prosecution for
splitting the case, saying that they had tried to mislead the court.
