Drunk driver behind Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq accident pleads guilty to four out of five charges

The 44-year-old woman accused of being six times over the legal alcohol limit when she crashed into a motorcyclist on the Coast Road has pleaded guilty to four out of five charges.

Yoana Valentinova Gatt, an IT manager and single mother from St Paul’s Bay, stands charged with grievous bodily harm, reckless and dangerous driving, drunk driving, and property damage following the 17 August crash near Tony’s Ice-Cream in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq.

The victim, a 53-year-old Belgian man who lives in Gżira, remains in hospital in a stable condition but still faces a long recovery. He had initially been certified in critical condition.

On Wednesday, Gatt admitted to four of the five charges including drunk driving, property damage, and causing grievous bodily harm. However, she pleaded not guilty to the charge of reckless and dangerous driving. Magistrate Antoine Agius Bonnici warned her that the charges she admitted to could carry a prison sentence. After consulting briefly with her lawyer, Gatt confirmed her admission.

The court heard how Gatt had been breathalysed at 124.9 μg/100 ml of breath, six times the legal limit of 22 μg. She had been arrested at 6:04pm on the day of the crash, after being taken in for questioning.

In her statement to police, Gatt confirmed that she was the driver at the time of the collision and that she had consumed alcohol beforehand. She exercised her right to legal assistance, speaking with a lawyer over the phone.

Prosecuting officer Inspector Nathan Bugeja presented the official police report. The collision occurred at 3:37pm, when the motorcyclist was stopped at the give way near the roundabout.

Court expert Joseph Paul Scerri testified that CCTV footage showed the motorcycle stationary at the junction as the accused’s Toyota Aygo approached in its lane, without overspeeding. The magistrate requested that a copy of the inquiry be exhibited in court.

Sergeant Damian Galea testified that he and another officer were dispatched to the scene shortly after 4:00pm. Police had already cordoned off the area, where the Toyota Aygo was still next to the fallen motorcycle. The motorcyclist was in serious condition and was rushed to hospital. Witnesses at the scene confirmed that Gatt had been behind the wheel.

Galea said the accused gave inconsistent versions of events, claiming she had been picking up and dropping off her daughter, resulting in the request of a breathalyser test. He noted that the impact was from the front bumper of the car onto the rear of the motorcycle. Galea also produced his own bodycam footage to the court, copies of which were handed to the defence.

The sergeant told the court that a CCTV camera had been identified on site, but its footage was not retrieved.

Eyewitness Matthew Bianco recalled being in a Bolt taxi with his wife and children when he noticed “two legs sticking out” from under the accused’s Toyota. Bianco, along with five other men, helped lift the car off the victim. “The torso was completely under the vehicle,” he told the court, adding that the victim was face down and still breathing. He and his wife placed the man in the recovery position until an ambulance arrived.

Bianco testified that he heard a foreign woman, later identified as the accused, say: “I don’t know where he came from.” He recognised Gatt in court.

His wife Christina Bianco corroborated his account, explaining that she had approached the driver’s side of the Toyota after spotting the victim’s legs beneath the car. She confirmed that the couple remained on site until paramedics arrived and also recognised the accused in court.

Another witness, Jamie Zammit, testified that he had been driving directly behind the Toyota Aygo. He recalled that Gatt was not overspeeding. After the collision, he saw the motorbike fall and honked his horn before calling emergency services. He confirmed seeing the men lift the vehicle off the victim.

Bail decision postponed to Friday

The court later postponed its decision on the woman’s bail request to Friday at 9:00am, ordering that she remain under arrest in the meantime.

The prosecution argued that Identity Malta records show she holds a valid passport expiring in 2029, raising fears she could abscond, although the accused insisted she only possesses an ID card. A representative from Identity Malta is expected to testify in court, with the possibility of the hearing being brought forward if one is made available earlier.

Inspector Nathan Bugeja is prosecuting, while legal aid lawyer Nadya Fyott is assisting the accused.

Magistarte Antione Agius Bonnici presided over the case