Driver of death truck arrested: He hit a van, killing 3 people; 8 are seriously injured

Kraljevo resident G.B. (46), who today caused a traffic accident on the Belgrade-Nis highway that killed three people and injured eight more, has been arrested for committing a grave act against public safety, the Nis police said in a statement.

The accident occurred when a truck crashed into a broken down van, that had Kragujevac registration plates, and was parked in the stopping lane. From the force of the impact, the vehicle was almost completely destroyed, while the truck stopped only a hundred meters away from the crash site.

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Kragujevac residents LJ.J. (40) and S. J. whose age has not been determined, along with another man whose body has not yet been identified with certainty died on the spot. It is suspected that this is the son of one of the men who were injured in the accident but his identity is being verified. The driver of the van, D.R., was injured (34), along with his passengers G.N. (41), I.V. (45), M.M. (29), his father B.M. (53), S.V. (20), B.S. (32) and M.S. (35).

Photo: Telegraf

According to the testimony of the survivors, who say they are workers of the Belgrade-based Telefon Kabl company, the truck was moving at high speed.

"We were on our way to Leskovac for work when the van started to break down. The driver stopped to see what was going on. He moved the van all the way to the right and called the tow truck. While we were waiting for it to arrive, I got out of the vehicle. I saw this fool speeding in his truck. I fell from the force of the impact, when I got up there was something to see... He cut them all up, there was blood everywhere... Some people stopped, called the police and the ambulance. Three were killed, all young people, and my son was injured. What saved me is that I had left the vehicle, it was a disaster, only someone without a brain could drive like that. I don't know where he came from, nothing was left of the van, these children are all broken, may God save everyone from such a thing," says Bosko Mihajlovic, who sustained head injuries but is in stable condition.

Goran Nikolic was inide the van at the time of the crash.

"There was a crash in the back, I had a blackout, I don't know for how long. I crawled out of the vehicle through the window. I can't describe the scene, it was horrible," said the injured man, who can barely speak.

Photo: Telegraf

Emergency Center director Miodrag Lazic said that of the eight people injured, four have sustained life-threatening wounds.

"Four of them are in very serious condition, two were immediately taken to the operating room. They all have multiple injuries, to their heads, arms, legs, extremely severe, life-threatening injuries. Two are in intensive care with injuries to the head, extremities and chest, but do not currently require surgery. In the most severe condition is a patient with a brain stem injury whose prognosis is uncertain. The other three are in a state of shock because of numerous injuries, so that condition threatens them. Four have minor injuries, one was released on personal request because his son has been killed," Lazic explained.

For now, it is unknown why the truck driver moved into the stopping lane where the van with the workers was parked. It is not excluded that he may have been asleep at the wheel because there is very good traffic visibility in that part of the road.

If found guilty, the truck driver will face up to eight years in prison.

D.K.