A 93-year-old driver has escaped imprisonment after hitting a six-year-old boy while running a red light, causing him permanent brain damage.
Phyllis Grassi missed the changing traffic lights as she approached a pedestrian crossing in her silver Smart Fortwo. The impact of the collision sent the boy 12ft into the air towards his father on the pavement, who attempted to catch him but could not prevent the boy from hitting his head on landing next to a telegraph pole.
Following the incident on Blandford Road in Corfe Mullen, Dorset, on March 17, 2024, the boy suffered life-altering injuries, including partial loss of sight, deafness in one ear, mobility issues, and cognitive impairments.
Grassi, a mother of five, admitted to causing serious injury by careless driving at Poole Magistrates’ Court. Due to her age and poor health, she received a suspended 26-week prison sentence instead of immediate incarceration.
The court was told that the boy believed it was safe to cross the road when he saw the green pedestrian signal, but his father noticed Grassi’s car not stopping. As the boy froze in the road, Grassi struck him from behind, sending him flying towards his father.
In a victim impact statement, the family described their lives as a “nightmare” since the incident, which drastically altered their son’s once active and joyful personality. Grassi, who surrendered her driving license after the incident, expressed deep remorse for the tragic event.
Grassi was sentenced by Jurge Orla Austin, acknowledging the severe consequences of her actions on the boy’s life. She was banned from driving for five years and ordered to pay £239 in costs and victim surcharge.