More than €51,000 in damages were caused when a BMW crashed into a petrol station and a KFC restaurant in Gzira in January, during the same incident in which pedestrian Pelin Kaya was mowed down and killed, a court heard on Monday.
The vehicle smashed a firewall and three fuel dispensing points at Paul and Rocco service station before crashing through large tempered glass panes at the adjoining KFC restaurant, also damaging furniture.
The service station had just been refurbished when the incident took place on January 18, director Simone Pisani said when testifying in the compilation of evidence against Jeremie Camilleri, the 33-year old Franco-Maltese driver who had been at the wheel of the vehicle.
He is pleading not guilty to wilful homicide and causing damage to property.
Pisani said €14,219 in damages were caused to the petrol station, which included the replacement of the dispensing points, rebuilding the wall and inspecting the underground tanks for damage.
Mariella Aquilina, one of the owners of Paul and Rocco testified that police called at her home at 3am and asked her to accompany them to her office, where she was asked to hand over CCTV footage. No one touched the footage before that.
KFC general manager Gordon Naudi described the damage incurred at the restaurant.
Dining furniture was smashed, along with a wooden floor-to-ceiling structure that had to be replaced.
The tempered glass on the restaurant facade had to be replaced, tiles and marble were also damaged and the outlet also suffered loss of business.
Damages totalled €37,012.96.
Footage from two security cameras, including one on the shop front showing the BMW heading in that direction, were handed to police at the Sliema police station.
He had received calls from media for the footage but had not released any, the manager said.
Another civilian witness who was expected to testify after being duly served notice of summons was slapped with a €100 for contempt of court for failing to turn up and targeted by a warrant of escort to the next sitting in May.
Magistrate Rachel Montebello is presiding over the case.
AG lawyers Kaylie Bonett and Nathaniel Falzon, together with Inspector Kurt Zahra prosecuted.
Lawyers Rene’ Darmanin and Alfred Abela are defence counsel.