Driver who caused the death of 11-year-old Elif Su released: Found primarily at fault
In Mersin, the driver who struck students crossing at a pedestrian crossing, causing one to die and another to be seriously injured, was sentenced to 5 years, 6 months, and 20 days in prison. The court decided to release the detained defendant, taking into account the sentence and the time already served, while also imposing a travel ban.
İHA
The accident occurred on May 23, 2023, in the Gökçebelen neighborhood of the Yenişehir district. A pickup truck with license plate 33 ACY 335, driven by excavator operator Coşkun T. (25), struck Elif Su Ekinci (11) and Elif Yüksel (11), both 5th-grade students at Yenişehir Anatolian Imam Hatip Secondary School, as they were attempting to cross at a pedestrian crossing. Elif Su Ekinci lost her life at the scene, while Elif Yüksel, who was seriously injured, underwent treatment in the hospital for a long time. The moment of the accident was also captured on the vehicle's dashcam.
FOUND PRIMARILY AT FAULT
Following the incident, Coşkun T. was detained and subsequently arrested, and a lawsuit was filed against him at the Mersin 1st High Criminal Court for the crime of "causing death and injury by negligence."
The indictment stated that the defendant was primarily at fault in the occurrence of the accident. During the hearings, the prosecutor requested that the defendant be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for the crime of "causing the death of one or more persons and the injury of one or more persons through conscious negligence."
The final hearing held today was attended by the detained defendant Coşkun T., the victim families, and the lawyers for both sides. The lawyers for the plaintiffs requested that the defendant be tried for "probable intent" and receive a harsher sentence.
In his defense, the defendant Coşkun T. said, "I am very sorry that such a thing happened. I pray every day for that child to recover."
RELEASE DECISION AND LICENSE REVOCATION
The court sentenced the defendant to 5 years, 6 months, and 20 days in prison for the crime of "causing the death of one person and the injury of one person through conscious negligence." It was decided to release the defendant, taking into account the time spent in detention and the sentence received. Additionally, the defendant was banned from traveling abroad, and his driver's license was confiscated for 2 years.