Custody Ordered for Drunk Driver in Fatal Basaid Crash
A court in Zrenjanin ordered up to 30 days of custody for a driver suspected of causing a crash while drunk near Basaid, killing a motorcyclist and his passenger.
- The High Court in Zrenjanin ordered up to 30 days of custody for the suspect, identified as Z. M. (39) from Basaid.
- The crash happened late in the evening on May 30 on state road II-A No. 117.
- The motorcycle rider died at the scene, and his passenger died on June 1 from her injuries.
- The suspect faces a charge of a serious offense against public traffic safety.
The High Court in Zrenjanin ordered up to 30 days of custody on June 2 for a driver suspected of causing a fatal crash near Basaid while under the influence of alcohol. Two people lost their lives in the accident. In court records, the suspect is identified by the initials Z. M. (39) from Basaid.
The crash happened late in the evening on May 30, on state road II-A No. 117, on the stretch running from Novi Becej toward Basaid. The motorcycle rider died at the scene, while his passenger succumbed to her injuries on June 1.
What happened on the road near Basaid?
According to prosecutors, the suspect crossed into the oncoming lane in his car and struck a motorcycle approaching from the opposite direction. The force of the impact left the rider with no chance of survival.
The passenger riding on the motorcycle was rushed to hospital with severe injuries. Doctors fought to save her, but she died the following day, raising the death toll from the crash to two.
Prosecutors have charged the suspect with a serious offense against public traffic safety. When such an offense results in the death of one or more people, it carries the heaviest penalties in this group of crimes.
The key circumstances known so far:
- the driver was, according to prosecutors, driving under the influence of alcohol
- the car crossed into the oncoming lane and hit the motorcycle
- the motorcycle rider died immediately, at the scene
- the passenger died on June 1 from her injuries
Why did the court order up to 30 days of custody?
The High Court in Zrenjanin justified the custody order by citing the severity of the consequences and the public alarm the crash caused. Custody of up to 30 days is a measure imposed at this stage to ensure the investigation can proceed without interference.
The court justified its custody decision by citing the severity of the consequences and the public alarm caused by the incident.
Custody at this stage is neither a verdict nor a finding of guilt. The suspect remains presumed innocent until guilt is proven by a final court ruling. The investigation must establish all the circumstances of the crossing into the oncoming lane, as well as the driver’s exact blood-alcohol level at the moment of the crash.
State roads through the villages of Banat have long been considered dangerous, especially in the evening and at night when visibility drops. Drunk driving remains one of the most common causes of fatal accidents on Serbia’s roads.
Do you think the penalties for causing a death in traffic while drunk are strict enough?
