Nurse rushed to help dying pensioner after he was hit by falling traffic light – only to make heartbreaking discovery
A FORMER nurse rushed to help a dying pensioner after he was hit by a falling traffic light only to make a heartbreaking discovery.
Roseangela Varone, 51, was walking home from her local Sainsbury’s in London when she witnessed the traffic accident and raced over to help.
But kindhearted Roseangela soon discovered that the victim was her husband 69-year-old Luigi.
Luigi was waiting on a traffic island 50 yards from their home when the fatal accident was allegedly caused by Mourad El Maddioudi, 35, who shunted another vehicle in his Smart car.
The Ford Focus driven by Faaris Sangal mounted the traffic island on Battersea Park Road, bringing down the traffic light onto Luigi.
The retired British Gas engineer died from his head injuries after the incident on 11 January 2020, Southwark Crown Court heard.
El Maddioudi denies causing death by careless driving.
Hamish Common, prosecuting, said: “On Saturday 11 January 2020 at 9:05pm, two black cars, a Ford Focus driven by Faaris Sangal, and a Smart ForTwo car driven by Mourad El Maddioui, were being driven in opposite directions along Battersea Park Road in southwest London.
“At the junction with Falcon Road, Mr El Maddioui turned his Smart car right, heading into Falcon Road, closely behind an Audi across the opposing carriageway and into the path of Mr Sangal, who was proceeding straight over the junction and as such had priority.
“Mr Sangal was travelling at about 35mph in a 30 mph zone. At this point the two cars collided.
“The collision deviated Mr Sangal’s Ford Focus from its path into a pedestrian island.
“The Ford Focus collided with a pedestrian traffic signal which in turn struck a pedestrian standing on the pavement, Luigi Varone, killing him.
“The issue for the trial is Mr El Maddioui’s standard of driving. The prosecution case is essentially that Mr El Maddioui should not have followed the Audi so closely which reduced his ability to see oncoming traffic.”
Mr Common continued: “He should not have crossed the opposing lane without checking for oncoming traffic. The fact that he did was a cause of Mr Varone’s death that was more than minimal.
“Roseangela Varone was Mr Varone’s wife. They were to be going to a restaurant in Fulham later in the evening.
“She was returning to the flat from the local Sainsbury’s when she heard a loud bang and saw two cars had collided, hitting a traffic light which in turn had hit a man.
“She went to help as she used to be a nurse. She then realised it was her husband.”
Luigi was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
Giving evidence Philip Jeffries said: ‘I saw a car go through the light, which was green. It skidded and swerved to avoid the car. It hit the island, hit the post, and hit the guy on the head.
Luigi died after suffering a “devastating injury” to the right hand side of the head, the court heard.
Pathologist Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl said: “The appearance of this injury is wholly consistent with a strike from the upright of the traffic light column and has given rise to major skull fracture and brain injury.
“In my opinion this was a non-salvageable head injury and I note that CCTV shows no evidence of movement following this collision.”
El Maddioudi, of Philpot Square, Fulham, denies causing death by careless driving.
The trial continues.