Off-duty officer kills pedestrian near Vranje, flees scene
An off-duty police officer killed a pedestrian in a crash near Vranje and fled the scene. He has been ordered into 30-day custody, with dismissal from the police to follow.
- An off-duty police officer killed a pedestrian in a crash near Vranje and fled the scene.
- The Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Vranje charges him with a serious offence against traffic safety and failure to render aid.
- A judge at the Basic Court ordered him into custody for up to 30 days.
- The Vranje Police Department has opened disciplinary proceedings and announced his dismissal from the Interior Ministry.
The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Vranje charges police officer F. A. (25) from the Vranje area with killing a 50-year-old pedestrian while driving off duty on the night between May 29 and May 30, then fleeing the scene. The injured pedestrian later died of his injuries.
Prosecutors are pursuing two criminal counts against the suspect: a serious offence against the safety of public traffic and failure to render aid to a person injured in a traffic accident. A pre-trial judge at the Basic Court in Vranje ordered him held in custody for up to 30 days.
What exactly do prosecutors allege?
According to the prosecution, after the impact the suspect left the scene and did not call for help for the injured pedestrian. That circumstance, the flight and the absence of aid, stands out as an aggravating factor in how the offence is classified.
In fatal traffic-safety cases, the prescribed penalties are considerably harsher when the driver flees. During the custody period, prosecutors will gather evidence, including an expert assessment of the crash. Until a final verdict, the suspect is presumed innocent.
Key facts of the case:
- The suspect is a police officer aged 25 from the Vranje area, and was off duty at the time of the crash.
- The accident happened on the night between May 29 and May 30 near Vranje.
- The victim was a pedestrian aged 50, who died of his injuries.
- The suspect fled the scene and was arrested later.
Consequences within the police
The Vranje Police Department announced that, separately from the criminal case, it is also opening internal disciplinary proceedings. The department said the suspect would be removed from the police ranks.
Disciplinary proceedings will be initiated over a serious breach of official duty, and he will be removed from the Interior Ministry until the proceedings are concluded.
The disciplinary and criminal processes run separately. The disciplinary track addresses the breach of official duty and the officer’s status, while the court decides on criminal responsibility. The final outcome of both will depend on evidence that is only now being collected.
Should penalties for fleeing the scene of a fatal accident be tougher?
