Court bans man charged over double road death from driving while on bail

The man accused of causing two deaths in a drug/drunk-driving incident last month has been released on bail after spending over a month in preventive custody.

Karl Vella Petroni of Manikata stands charged with causing the death of two men when he crashed into the motorcycle they had been riding on, allegedly whilst under the influence of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol.

Vella Petroni had been behind the wheel of a Smart Fortwo when it collided with a Yamaha Crypton motorcycle in Triq ta’ Żejfa, Mosta at around 6am on Saturday 6th May.

The two victims, 41-year-old Ali Abbas and 33-year-old Faizan Muhammad, both from Pakistan had been on their way to work at a Rabat factory. Muhammad was certified dead at the scene. Abbas succumbed to his injuries later in hospital.

In a decree handed down on Tuesday, Madame Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera released Vella Petroni from arrest under strict conditions, which include being supervised by a Probation Officer, submitting to a Treatment Order and twice weekly drug tests. His bail was secured by a €10,000 deposit, together with a €10,000 personal guarantee.

He is also required to sign a bail book every day and observe a curfew. The court also prohibited him from driving any manner of vehicle until the case is definitively decided.

Lawyers Charles Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran are appearing for Karl Vella Petroni.

Inspector Godwin Scerri is prosecuting.