There is no justice for us, the families of the children killed on the road. We are fighting for something else - for there to be objective justice that would prevent and reduce road murders. This was stated in the studio of "Hello, Bulgaria" Krasimir Arsov - father of 14-year-old Filip, who died on a pedestrian crossing in Sofia in 2023.
The state shows no desire to fight road crimes, 80% of murders in our country are on the road. For the most part - intentional. Unfortunately, the entire state system does not work in favor of the murdered, but of the criminals. In six months, the investigation was completed and the indictment was filed - for an intentional crime. When you are killed after drinking alcohol, speeding, on a crosswalk, at a red light - this is by law due to negligence. Up to 20 years in prison are foreseen. If you plead guilty, the sentence is reduced by 1/3", said Arsov.
According to him, the case is in its final stages - the latest expert reports are being considered. "The most complex - auto-technical, video and forensic, was done in a way that aims to acquit the murderer. On a sketch of the scene of the accident, only two distances are visible after the crosswalk, where Philip died", explained the father.
According to him, the driver stopped 130 meters from the crosswalk after hitting his son.
"The expert determines when the driver had visibility. For 9 months, the jury could not or did not want to find two witnesses. Two months ago, at the meeting, we argued about the width of "Gen. Gurko" Street before the pedestrian crossing and how much after. This is a well-known fact, but the expert said that there is no difference. After the opinion of the Sofia Municipality, the expert said that there is a difference of 1 meter. However, all this is delaying the case. Yesterday I asked for simple things - that a photo album be made, to which the video materials from all sides should be attached. It is necessary to draw all the participants in the traffic accident on a large-scale sketch. The judge must decide whether to allow these things that should have been done long ago," said the blackened father.
The Tragic Incident with Philip Arsov: Chronology of Events
On September 2, 2023, at around 9:15 p.m., 14-year-old Philip Arsov, a student at the First English High School in Sofia, was hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing at the intersection of “Gen. Gurko“ and “Tsar Ivan Shishman“ Streets. The driver of the car, 37-year-old Petar Todorov, was driving at 88 km/h in a 30 km/h zone and with a blood alcohol content of 2.1. The boy died on the spot.
Investigation and indictment
After the incident, Todorov was detained and charged with intentionally causing death while driving a motor vehicle. On March 22, 2024, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office filed an indictment with the Sofia City Court.
Court hearings
→ April 25, 2024: The first disposition hearing was postponed due to the absence of the lawyer for Philip's relatives.
→ September 20, 2024: Witnesses confirmed to the court that Todorov had accelerated the car before the collision.
→ January 31, 2025: The hearing was postponed due to the illness of the lawyer. The next hearing was scheduled for February 26, 2025.
On March 19, 2025, three main expert reports were presented at the Sofia City Court:
→ Video and auto-technical expert report: Video recordings from the Sofia Municipality cameras were analyzed to establish the movement of Todorov's car and the organization of traffic in the area.
→ Forensic medical expert report: Provided information about the causes of Filip Arsov's death.
→ Video-technical expertise: An additional expertise was prepared on the video recordings provided by the Ministry of Interior to more accurately determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Some of the experts did not appear in the courtroom, which is why the next hearing was scheduled for April 28, 2025.
Public reaction
The incident caused a wave of public outrage. Relatives and citizens organized protests demanding a fair trial and stricter measures against traffic violations.
Request for additional documents
The lawyer for Filip Arsov's relatives requested from the Sofia Municipality an up-to-date sketch and approved project of the roadway on “Gurko“ Street as of the date of the incident, as well as information about repairs carried out after the accident. The court approved the request to collect data on the road organization at the station.
Possible change in the charge
The prosecutor in the case, Kalin Bliznakov, stated that after hearing the experts and the presented expert reports, it will be assessed whether the charge against Todorov should be changed to a more serious one. He is currently charged with causing death with possible intent.
The case at the moment
The case against Petar Todorov is currently ongoing in the Sofia City Court. The defendant is under house arrest. The public is closely following the development of the trial, demanding justice and stricter road safety measures. Due to an absent juror, the hearing on May 29 was postponed for the 14th time.