Twist in investigation into accident in Nis: Woman who killed 2 pedestrians was on opiates

Photo: Telegraf/D.K.

Nis woman B.S. (53), who hit two people at a pedestrian crossing on April 11, as a result of which they both died in the hospital, was under the influence of opiates.

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The accident happened on Vizantijski Boulevard when a Golf driven by B.S. hit Ljubomir Novakovic (80) and Danica Andric (75). The woman succumbed to her injuries on April 17, and a few days later, the man also passed away.

During the police investigation, the presence of illicit substances was not established in the driver's body, so criminal charges were filed against B.S. in regular procedure for a serious act against public traffic safety, i.e., she was not arrested. However, during the investigation conducted by the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office, it was established that she was incapable of safe driving, so further proceedings in this case were transferred to the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office.

As Borisav Radonjic, a spokesman for the Nis Higher Public Prosecutor's Office, announced, the qualification of the criminal act and the level of possible punishment have been changed.

"The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Nis is conducting an investigation against the accused B.S. from Nis on suspicion that while driving a motor vehicle she did not adhere to traffic regulations from Article 187, paragraph 2 and Article 99, paragraph 3 of the Law on Traffic Safety and thus endangered public traffic that resulted in the death of two people, thus committing a serious act against the safety of public traffic under Article 297, paragraph 2 in connection with Article 289, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code," said Radonjic.

Article 187, paragraph 2 of the Law on Traffic Safety stipulates that a driver may not drive a vehicle if they are under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances.

As we have learned, the presence of pills classified as opiates was detected in B.S. (53). The drugs make the driver incapable of driving. She is also charged under another article of the Law on Traffic Safety, which stipulates that if the traffic at a pedestrian crossing is not regulated by light signals or police officers, the driver is under obligation to adjust the speed of the vehicle so that pedestrians can be allowed to pass safely.

Because of the establishment of these circumstances, B.S. faces a more severe punishment. Article 297 of the Criminal Code, referred to by the prosecution, states that in the event that one or more persons are killed by endangering public traffic, the sentence is imprisonment from two to 12 years.

As Ljubomir's daughter Suzana Stojiljkovic said after the accident, on the fateful day he went out for a walk, which he was in the habit of doing.

"He would usually come back after about 20 minutes, if he stayed longer he would always call. Dad is a vital man, he rode a bicycle, he did not take any therapy for chronic diseases. I was in my room when I heard the doorbell ring. I opened it and saw a policeman, he asked me if Ljubomir Novakovic lived there. When I confirmed this, he invited me to go with him to the hospital. The policeman told me that he had an accident at a pedestrian crossing. I went with him without even telling my mother, I didn't want her to worry before I found out what condition they were in," Suzana said at the time.

After the accident, a Telegraf journalist also visited Danica's family. Her daughter-in-law Radmila said that they did not even know that the accident had happened until they found Danica in the Clinical Center.

"My husband went to her apartment, no one was there. He was very worried, I still hoped that everything was fine, I told him not to panic. Two more hours passed, so the husband called his mother's friend because he lives near the Clinical Center, and asked him to check if something had not happened to her. Only then did we find out that she was hit by a car at a pedestrian crossing," said Radmila.

(Telegraf.rs)