The police filed seven charges on Thursday against a 53-year-old British man after a car hit a packed crowd in Liverpool, England, earlier this week, injuring almost 80 people at a parade to celebrate Liverpool F.C.’s Premier League soccer title.
The driver, Paul Doyle, 53, was charged with dangerous driving, “unlawful and malicious wounding” and other offenses. He was arrested at the scene on Monday and will appear in court on Friday, the police said.
Jenny Sims, the assistant chief constable of Merseyside Police, said at a news conference on Thursday that Mr. Doyle had been charged with dangerous driving, and two counts each of causing grievous bodily harm with intent — a serious assault charge used for major injuries — attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, and “unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.”
Ms. Sims said Liverpool was “shocked and saddened” by the incident and many people had “concerns and questions.”
“Our detectives are working tirelessly with diligence and professionalism to seek the answer to all of those questions,” she added.
Sarah Hammond, the chief prosecutor for the region, said the charges would be kept under review as the police investigation continues, meaning more could be filed or existing ones amended.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered Monday to celebrate Liverpool F.C.’s title in the Premier League, the top tier of English soccer. A car plowed into packed crowds on Water Street, near the end of the club’s 10-mile victory parade, shortly after 6 p.m. local time.
The road was closed to traffic at the time, but a vehicle blocking access was temporarily moved to allow an ambulance to enter. Police believe the car followed behind it.
Seventy-nine people were injured in the crash, including 50 who required hospital treatment, the police said. Seven victims remained hospitalized on Thursday afternoon
Several children were among the victims, who were between 9 and 78 years old. One child was seriously wounded, the local ambulance service said.
The incident caused shock and outrage across Britain, which has seen several terrorist attacks since 2017 in which vehicles have been used as weapons. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation.”
Within hours of the crash in Liverpool, police announced that it was not being treated as terrorism-related and that the suspect was a “white British man” from the local area. The unusual decision to disclose his race and nationality so quickly was an apparent move to prevent the spread of misinformation after previous attacks led to violent reactions.
The crash in Liverpool occurred about 20 miles from the town of Southport, where three young girls were murdered during a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop last July. False reports that the assailant, who was British-born, was an undocumented Muslim migrant spread rapidly online, sparking riots in several in cities and towns across England.
King Charles said in a statement that he and Queen Camilla were “deeply shocked and saddened.”
“It is truly devastating to see that what should have been a joyous celebration for so many could end in such distressing circumstances,” the king wrote.
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