Kailash Chander, 79, is alleged to have caused the deaths of Rowan Fitzgerald and 76-year-old Dora Hancox by dangerous driving in Coventry in October 2015
A 79-year-old bus driver has appeared in court charged with killing a seven-year-old passenger and a pedestrian in a city centre crash.
Kailash Chander is alleged to have caused the deaths of Rowan Fitzgerald and 76-year-old Dora Hancox by dangerous driving in Coventry in October 2015.
Mrs Hancox, a former foster carer from Nuneaton, and primary school pupil Rowan were both pronounced dead at the scene after the double-decker bus struck the side of a supermarket in Trinity Street.
Chander, from Leamington Spa, also faces two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, while bus operator Midland Red (South) Ltd has been charged with two health and safety breaches.
Former Leamington mayor Chander was not asked to enter a plea, speaking only to confirm his name, address and age during a five-minute hearing at Coventry Magistrates’ Court.
Magistrates granted Chander unconditional bail to appear at Warwick Crown Court on October 6.
The managing director of Midland Red, Steve Burd, and its operations director, Jim Mortimore, attended court on behalf of the bus company.
The firm faces allegations of failing to discharge employer’s duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act to employees and persons not in its employment.
The court adjourned the case against the company, which did not enter a plea, until a further hearing in Coventry on September 14.
Rowan was sitting with his eight-year-old cousin and their grandfather on the X18 bus as it returned from Coventry to their home in Leamington Spa.
The girl suffered multiple face and head injuries and was treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Mrs Hancox was walking past the shop when she was hit.
Mrs Hancox (left), a former foster carer from Nuneaton, and primary school pupil Rowan (right) were both pronounced dead at the scene after the double-decker bus struck the side of a shop
The scene of the fatal crash in Trinity Street, Coventry, in October 2015 is pictured
Chander (left), from Leamington Spa, also faces two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Rowan (pictured right) was described as a ‘caring person’ by his parents
An inquest into their deaths found Rowan died from blunt head trauma, when the bus struck the top of the shop, while Mrs Hancox suffered multiple injuries.
Speaking at the time of the tragedy, Rowan’s parents said: ‘Rowan was an adorable caring person who gave so much love to anyone he met.
‘He was a handsome little boy, whose cheeky smile lit up any room.
‘He made life full of laughter with never a dull moment and always kept us going with his cheeky little ways.
‘He loved his sports, especially football.
‘He was returning from the Ricoh Arena when this tragedy happened.’
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