A shocking incident sent shockwaves through the popular resort of Malia after a car drove dangerously through a crowd of tourists, injuring two people. The reckless joyride that struck British tourists in the early hours of July 19th in Crete was caught on camera in a document video published by Cretalive.gr. The serious incident occurred on a busy street in Malia, where large crowds had gathered both on the street and in the area’s bars.
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Crete: Palestinian man drives car into British tourists in Malia
It all began in the early hours of July 19th, when a car moved dangerously through a crowd of tourists as people were walking along the street and enjoying themselves at local bars. The vehicle can be seen on the footage making erratic, dangerous maneuvers through the crowd.
At first, the driver appears to veer sharply to the right, sending workers and bystanders scrambling to get out of the way. The car then swings left, striking a British couple who were casually chatting nearby. The vehicle visibly hits them, leaving the 41-year-old British woman with a broken leg. Her companion was more fortunate and escaped with less serious injuries.
Dozens of bystanders witnessed the incident firsthand and reacted with outrage to the car’s erratic path. As soon as people realized what was happening, they began hurling abuse and making angry gestures at the driver, and as clearly seen in the footage, one bystander even kicked the car.
What the 29-year-old Palestinian suspect claimed
Following a multi-day investigation, authorities managed to identify and locate the owner of the vehicle — a 29-year-old Palestinian man residing in the city of Heraklion — who has since been charged with a felony offense. Of particular interest, according to Cretalive.gr, is the strikingly different account the suspect reportedly gave during the preliminary investigation compared to his subsequent testimony before the examining magistrate.
Initially, during the pre-trial questioning, he reportedly confessed to being behind the wheel at the time of the incident and claimed he had been under the influence of alcohol. However, when he appeared before the competent examining magistrate in Heraklion, the 29-year-old reversed his position entirely and denied that he was the one driving the vehicle. According to his new version of events, he claimed the car had only come into his possession 23 days before his arrest — that is, he alleged, after the Malia incident had already taken place. He also attributed his earlier confession to a misunderstanding caused by a language barrier.
Following his testimony, the 29-year-old was released under restrictive conditions. Among the conditions imposed on him are the surrender of his driver’s license and the surrender of the vehicle’s registration documents.
