60-year-old Nigerian, Olisofa Popoola, bus driver who killed pedestrian in London ‘unintentionally pressed accelerator instead of brake’
A 60-year-old bus diver, Olisofa Popoola, killed a pedestrian when he pressed the accelerator instead of the brake and crashed into another bus outside Victoria Station in London, the Old Bailey heard during his trial on Monday, March 20, 2023.
Popoola was at the wheel of an electric 507 single decker bus when he caused the fatal crash which killed 32-year-old Melissa Burr.
Jurors heard Popoola was moving his vehicle forward when he crashed into the back of another 507 bus which was waiting to collect passengers outside the railway station.
Popoola, who later accepted he may have hit the accelerator instead of the brake, continued to drive forward even after his bus hit the other vehicle, the court heard.
Ms Burr was crossing the road in front of the front bus at the time of the crash, and was knocked down to the ground before being crushed under the vehicle.
The driver of the other 507 bus, Diana Mathuranayagam, was flung from her vehicle and suffered a badly fractured eye socket, it is said.
Prosecutor Alexander Williams said Popoola has admitted responsibility for the crash but argues it was careless rather than dangerous driving.
Jurors heard the crash happened at around 8.25am on 10 August 2021, when Burr, from Rainham, Kent, was crossing the road with two colleagues.
Mr Williams said Victoria station was busier than usual that Tuesday, as the Circle and District line was closed and commuters had taken to the buses.
“This case concerns a collision that he caused while driving a single decker 507 bus at the bus stand outside Victoria railway station”, he said.
The defendant drove his bus into the back of another 507 bus which was parked in front of his. He collided with its rear and pushed the parked bus forward so it ran over and collided with a pedestrian who was crossing in front of the parked bus.