2,000 people pay tribute to girl run over in Vilvorde

2,000 people pay tribute to girl run over in Vilvorde

Some 2,000 people gathered in Eppegem (Zemst) this Thursday to pay tribute to the 12-year-old girl who died after being run over on a cycling path in Vilvorde last Wednesday as she was on her way home from school. The driver initially fled the scene before handing himself in at Vilvorde-Machelen police station on Monday.

The ceremony lasted over two hours during which many friends and relatives of the girl, an active gym club, roller-skating club and brass band member, gave speeches about her, as did her parents and her brother. A number of white balloons were released at the end of the ceremony.

The 21-year-old driver handed himself in to the police on Monday and has been arrested and remanded in custody for manslaughter as a result of a traffic accident and the offence of failing to stop at the scene of the accident. Although the suspect had never passed his driving test, the Police Court nonetheless found him guilty of seven counts of driving without a valid license and/or driving without valid insurance. He now faces an 8-year prison sentence, a 30,000-euro fine and a lifetime driving ban. He is to appear before the Council Chamber of the Court of Brussels on Friday.

(Source: Belga)


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