Hong Kong tram driver faces jail over crash that killed girl, 3
Li Yaodong, 50, found guilty of careless driving when tram struck the girl, her sister, grandfather and family helper as they crossed street
A Hong Kong tram driver faces jail for careless driving that killed a three-year-old girl and injured three others, after a court condemned his actions as having “serious consequences”.
Deputy Magistrate Chung Wing-sze on Tuesday found Li Yaodong, 50, guilty of carelessly driving outside Kennedy Town Swimming Pool on the morning of August 15, 2024, when his tram struck the girl, her six-year-old sister, their grandfather and the family’s helper as they were crossing Des Voeux Road West.
The three-year-old was found unconscious under the tram and later pronounced dead in hospital.
“Because of the defendant’s carelessness, a girl died and three others were injured. The consequences were very serious,” Chung said.
“A custodial sentence is inevitable,” she ruled, after rejecting the defence’s plea for leniency.
Li had denied the offence and told the court that he had already stopped the vehicle after realising he had hit the pedestrians, who were at a traffic island and taking a step forward despite a red light being on.
But Chung found the tram continued moving for another 12.7 metres after the impact, showing Li had failed to stop in time.