21-year-old Viktor Iliev, who crashed into a bus with his car in Sofia and caused the death of a doctor from Syria, and six others are in hospital with life-threatening injuries, will be detained, bTV reported.
This was decided by the Sofia City Court, which is reviewing the measure. It can be appealed within 3 days, starting today.
The next case against Viktor Iliev will be on August 26.
Viktor Iliev's official defense pointed to the ongoing treatment as a reason for house arrest.
Viktor Iliev requested a “pardon” in court.
"The most severe measure of procedural coercion has been taken against the perpetrators of the act, which is taken into account both in relation to the objectives of the investigation and the degree of public danger of the act and the perpetrator. This case concerns a crime with an extremely high degree of public danger, as a result of which the death of one person and moderate bodily injury to more than one person was caused, and a total of four people were injured, two of whom are currently in danger of death.“
This was commented by prosecutor Sabina Hristova after the session of the Sofia City Court.
“His behavior as a driver of a motor vehicle was characterized by extreme aggressiveness and arrogance. He did not comply with the established rules of the road and, as was established in today's court session, did not stop at red traffic lights. He was driving at an approximate, but unspecified speed, which was certainly between 170 and 200 kilometers per hour in the city of Sofia“, the prosecutor added.
After the latest amendments to the law, the punishment for this type of crime is imprisonment for between 10 and 15 years, and in extremely serious cases - between 15 and 20 years, Sabina Hristova pointed out.
When asked whether the perpetrator of the murder will have to pay for the car he was driving, as well as the public transport bus, prosecutor Hristova commented: “It will probably be necessary to award damages caused as a result of the guilty unlawful behavior, and he will have to pay the same – both for the damage to the bus and for the leased car provided to him for use, which he was driving when causing the traffic accident.“
A bottle of nitrous oxide was found in the car during the inspection and subsequent search and seizure of the relevant car, commented Prosecutor Hristova, and added: “There is also witness testimony that while driving the car the perpetrator used nitrous oxide. In this regard, a chemical-toxicological examination has been ordered, which is currently in the process of being prepared and will specify the use of nitrous oxide.“
“According to the witness testimony collected so far, the driver's behavior was extremely aggressive. The witnesses themselves have asked him to reduce speed and comply with the relevant rules, since the passenger traveling on the right next to the driver has a driver's license. "Obviously, everyone was outraged and insisted that he stop this type of behavior, but he did not comply with their requests," the prosecutor in the case concluded.