Second driver in fatal double hit and run sentenced

A man who was found guilty of manslaughter in a double hit and run fatality in Paphos was sentenced to six years in prison on Tuesday, with police still unable to locate the first car that struck the local woman unconscious.

Local media said a 45-year-old male driver was sentenced to six years behind bars in the death of 60-year-old Androula Papachristoforou, who was fatally wounded as she was trying to cross Priamou street in the Universal area in Paphos on the evening of 19 December 2021.

Video footage released at the time showed Papachristoforou crossing a dark road when she was knocked unconscious by an unidentified vehicle that fled the scene.

A second vehicle driven by the 45-year-old, initially described as a local but later understood to be a foreign-born resident, ran over Papachristoforou, with the incident being recorded by the same camera. A second security camera in the area recorded him as he stopped the car and got out before realizing what had happened and then he drove off.

Police have not yet identified the first driver who struck Papachristoforou initially.

Additional reports said the second car, which was owned by a Greek Cypriot, had just been transfered to the 45-year-old who purpotedly told police he was test driving at the time of the incident. 

The second driver's initial arrest warrant was issued for vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident, but details about his defense were not immediately known. Reports said he appeared before a local judge during his remand but ahead of his scheduled bail hearing which was canceled. 

He was found guilty last month and got three years on Tuesday for fleeing the scene of the accident. The criminal court also handed him out an additional six-year manslaughter sentence that will run concurrently after the judges pointed out that "there was no malice aforethought" on his part.