His fight to stay alive was an uneven one. His family and friends waited for a miracle that never came.
Fifty days after his life-threatening injury in a car accident—the circumstances of which are shocking—16-year-old Aris Papacharalambous succumbed to his injuries. The accident occurred around 2 a.m. on August 7 on Aglantzia Avenue, when a drunk driver struck the minor, who was riding ahead on an electric scooter, and left him helpless.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The accident occurred at this point on the road, heading toward Larnaca Avenue, when the electric scooter driven by 16-year-old Aris in the buswas struck and dragged by the 27-year-old’s vehicle, which was following behind him.
Aris was seriously injured in the violent collision and was taken to Nicosia General Hospital. He underwent surgery and had been in critical condition ever since. Despite the doctors’ efforts, the 16-year-old ultimately succumbed to his injuries late last night.
A Moving Bomb
The 27-year-old Greek Cypriot driver of the vehicle was located shortly afterward by the police. He tested positive in a breathalyzer test, with a final reading of 73m instead of 22—the legal limit—and was arrested.
“The car was being driven by a 27-year-old man who fled the scene and was later located elsewhere. During the checks that were carried out, it was determined that the driver was under the influence of alcohol.”
Kyriakos Theodorou – Police
A few hours later, the police also arrested the driver’s 27-year-old wife. She was inside the vehicle and falsely claimed to the authorities that she was driving at the time. However, witness testimony refuted her claim.
Mourning in the World of Soccer
The news caused unspeakable grief in the Cypriot soccer community. Aris Papacharalambous was a player on the U-17 team of E.N. TH.O.I. Lakatamia, which, as a sign of mourning, canceled its scheduled matches for today.
“There are moments when words are not enough to express the magnitude of the loss. The E.N. TH.O.I. Lakatamia family bids a deeply sorrowful farewell to one of its own. For weeks, we stood by his side, hoping and praying that our Aris would return. Unfortunately, today we say goodbye to a young man who had his whole life ahead of him.”
E.N. THOI Lakatamia
Condolence statements were issued by APOEL and PANSYFI APOEL, of which the unfortunate Aris was a member, as well as other soccer clubs.
“Farewell, Aris… At times like this, words fall short. The APOEL family extends its sincere condolences to Aris’s family and loved ones and wishes them strength and courage. May you rest in peace and watch over us from up there.”
APOEL
How many more…
The unjust death of 16-year-old Aris brings the issue of lawlessness on Cypriot streets back into the spotlight, resulting in a series of accidents involving electric scooter riders. Last April, the House of Representatives approved stricter legislation, raising the minimum age for scooter use to 17 and imposing an out-of-court fine for exceeding the 25-kilometer-per-hour speed limit. However, enforcement of the legislation has stalled, while the Minister of Transportation is still awaiting the Legal Service’s opinion to implement, via decree, the measure to impound scooters that violate the law.
A few hours later, another traffic accident victim succumbed to his injuries in the intensive care unit of Nicosia General Hospital, where he had been hospitalized on a ventilator. The victim was 79-year-old Kostas Papadopoulos, who was seriously injured in the early hours of September 5 on Nikis Avenue, when the car he was driving collided with a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old.
Watch the report by Christoforos Nestoros:
