IETT bus driver who hit people waiting at a bus stop in Bahçelievler sentenced to prison

In Bahçelievler, the driver who caused the death of 2 people and the injury of 2 others by hitting those waiting at a bus stop with an IETT bus has been sentenced to 8 years, 10 months, and 20 days in prison.

The defendant, Sefer Baldan, who is currently in custody, attended the hearing at the Bakırköy 19th High Criminal Court via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS). Some of the complainants and the lawyers for the parties also attended the hearing.

When asked for his final statement during the hearing, defendant Sefer Baldan said, "I have been a driver for 30 years. This is the first time I have had such an accident."

Announcing its verdict, the court panel sentenced the defendant to 8 years, 10 months, and 20 days in prison for the crime of "causing the death and injury of more than one person through conscious negligence."

The court also ruled that the defendant's detention shall continue.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

The indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that on February 2, defendant Sefer Baldan fell asleep at the wheel while driving an IETT bus on the D-100 North side road, causing the vehicle to mount the sidewalk and strike people waiting at a bus stop in Bahçelievler.

The indictment noted that Hikmet Kaya and Ahmad Rzayev lost their lives in the accident, while Fehim Aydın and İbrahim Ethem Şekerli, who jumped to the side after noticing the bus approaching, were injured.

Pointing out that the bus's internal camera footage clearly and distinctly showed Baldan falling asleep, the indictment stated that examinations determined there was no malfunction in the bus's braking system or any other mechanism.

The indictment stated that IETT bus driver Baldan lost control of the steering wheel due to falling asleep while driving in traffic and hit those waiting at the stop, thereby causing the death of 2 people and the injury of 2 others.

In this context, it was requested that defendant Baldan be sentenced to between 2 and 15 years in prison for the crime of "causing the death and injury of more than one person through negligence."

News Source: AA