Mother killed, two children hurt in Trstenik crash
A Volkswagen driver crossed into the oncoming lane near Ribnik and hit a Citroen. A woman, 44, died at the scene, her daughter and son were taken to hospital, and the suspect was detained for 48 hours.
- A woman, 44, died at the scene of a crash near the village of Ribnik, on the Trstenik-Krusevac road.
- Her two children were in the Citroen: the daughter, 19, suffered serious injuries and the son, 17, minor ones.
- The suspected Volkswagen driver, M. P., 29, from Trstenik, was arrested and detained for 48 hours.
- The Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Trstenik announced criminal charges for endangering public traffic.
A woman died and her two children were injured in a head-on collision between two cars near the village of Ribnik, on the road between Trstenik and Krusevac. The crash happened around 11:50 p.m. when, according to police, the driver of a Volkswagen crossed into the oncoming lane and hit a Citroen head-on.
The Citroen was driven by R. N. B., 44. She died at the scene from her injuries, before emergency crews could reach the wrecks. Her two children were in the same car.
The daughter, aged 19, suffered serious injuries, while the son, aged 17, was left with minor ones. Both were taken to the General Hospital in Krusevac and treated there. The Volkswagen driver also sustained light injuries.
What is known about the investigation?
The suspect, M. P., 29, from Trstenik, was arrested shortly after the crash. He was ordered detained for up to 48 hours, after which he is due to be brought before the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Trstenik. Prosecutors announced criminal charges on suspicion of a serious offense against the safety of public traffic.
Guilt has not been established by a final court ruling at this stage. Authorities cite the move into the oncoming lane as the immediate cause of the collision, but the exact circumstances, including speed and any use of alcohol, will be the subject of expert examination. A traffic expert’s findings are usually the key piece of evidence in cases like this.
For the offense the suspect is accused of, where one person has died, the law prescribes a multi-year prison sentence. Prosecutors will set the final legal qualification once all evidence is gathered.
A stretch of road where people keep dying
The Trstenik-Krusevac main road has been known for years for its traffic accidents, especially at night and on stretches where vehicles reach higher speeds. Overtaking and drifting into the oncoming lane are the most common causes of the worst head-on crashes, in which passengers often have no time to react.
Traffic police statistics from previous years show that most fatalities occur precisely on open stretches outside built-up areas, where the mix of speed and a single moment of inattention is most dangerous. Families traveling together bear the heaviest toll in such crashes, because several people in one car are exposed at once.
The case again raises the question of safety on regional roads in central Serbia, where two-lane stretches with heavy night traffic have waited years for more serious solutions. How many warnings from roads like this one are still needed before the most dangerous stretches finally get a proper overhaul?
