Фото: СК
The Investigative Committee has completed its investigation into a minibus crash that left six people dead. The accident occurred on October 10 last year at the 72nd kilometre of the R31 highway (Babruysk — Mazyr — Ukraine border).
A 46-year-old driver was operating a Mercedes minibus on the Minsk–Mazyr route. He struck a tractor’s semi-trailer, after which the vehicle veered into the oncoming lane and collided with a Volkswagen.
According to investigators, the minibus driver exceeded the speed limit by 11 km/h, failed to take measures to reduce speed and caused the collision.
“Investigators established that the victims had repeatedly asked the minibus driver to slow down, but he ignored their requests. One of the passengers, frightened by the defendant’s driving manner, refused to continue the journey and left the vehicle shortly before the crash,” the Investigative Committee said.
During the criminal investigation, reconstruction experiments confirmed that the driver had an objective opportunity to notice in time a road train moving in the same direction, marked with an orange flashing beacon. This was also confirmed by one of the victims.
According to the conclusions of a forensic automotive examination, the minibus driver was operating the vehicle with faults in the braking system and running gear, conditions under which, according to traffic regulations, the vehicle’s operation is prohibited.
The defendant has been charged under Part 3 of Article 317 of the Criminal Code (violation of traffic rules or vehicle operation by a driver, resulting through negligence in less serious injury, serious injury, or the death of two or more persons). The man did not admit guilt.