A driver described to police how she saw a “white-haired man” pick up a dropped pitkalija crate minutes before motorcyclist Marie Claire Lombardi skidded on olives on the same spot and died of her injuries, a court was told.

The account was shared in court by a police sergeant testifying in the compilation of evidence against 79-year-old van driver, Joseph Cortis, who is pleading not guilty to the involuntary homicide of the biker.

According to the sergeant from Rabat police station, she received a call from a woman on October 26, four days after the incident.

The woman said she was driving past the intersection of the Rabat road with the road leading to Buqana, when she spotted a crate on the road belonging to the Pitkalija fruit and vegetable distribution centre. 

She also noticed a blue van that was stationary, slowing down traffic.

The eyewitness described a “white-haired man” who stooped to pick up the crate.

On the day of the accident, the officer said she had just arrived at the Rabat police station on night duty starting at 6.30pm, when calls poured in about the accident in the area “taħt l-Imdina” (below Mdina).

She rushed onsite with a colleague and found the victim’s motorcycle on the road leading to Buqana. Marie Claire Lombardi had already been taken to hospital.

The busy thoroughfare was closed off with police tape.

The police issued an image of the motorcycle after the accident. Photo: Malta Police Force

The officer said she noticed “some sort of material on the ground” which, on closer inspection, turned out to be “olive remains.”

The policewoman snapped photos of that material with her mobile phone and immediately informed her superiors.

Those images are to be exhibited in court at the next sitting.

Information from the hospital indicated that the victim was in critical condition and in danger of dying.

The sergeant set about trying to identify the biker so that she could inform her relatives before they got to know about the accident through some other source.

She then headed to the victim’s home where Marie Claire’s husband, Aldo, opened the door. She later accompanied him to the hospital.

Aldo and Marie-Claire Lombardi. Photo: Aldo Lombardi/Facebook

Upon arrival, a doctor broke the news that Marie Claire had not made it, recalled the witness, as the victim’s husband broke down in court, comforted by relatives, including his sister-in-law who were present at the hearing.

Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, the witness said that the “patch” of squashed olives was on the Ħemsija road.

There were two sizeable patches.

When asked to give a rough estimate of their size, she said that they were larger than the circumference of the witness stand, but could produce the pictures which she had taken that day.

The court is to schedule an onsite visit at the accident scene.

The case continues in October.

Inspector Roderick Attard prosecuted. Lawyer Patrick Valentino was defence counsel. Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi appeared parte civile.