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"I sincerely repent": Court sentences driver of Dovlatov tram who drove into crowd and crushed pedestrian to suspended sentence
A St. Petersburg court sentenced 46-year-old Dovlatov, a driver of a new tram, for driving through a red light, entering a controlled pedestrian crossing and crashing into a crowd near a house on Nalichnaya Street in the spring. A woman died as a result of the traffic accident, and a criminal case was opened against the public transport driver for violating traffic rules. Details of the high-profile trial were reported to the United Press Service by the city court.
- On April 12, the defendant received a service assignment to jump into a tram and got behind the wheel of a technically faulty but serviceable vehicle. He then told the court that during daylight hours he left tram depot No. 3 and walked along the tracks from Korablestroiteley Street towards Novosmolenskaya Embankment.
However, the investigation concluded that the driver had been thoughtless and careless when starting off, without checking the operation of all types of brakes. Because of this, it became impossible for the tram to make an emergency stop in a timely manner.
"Approaching the pedestrian crossing located at the entrance to the intersection of roads along Nalichnaya and Novosmolenskaya embankments, they chose an unsafe speed - 63.5 kilometers per hour," the court was told.
After assessing the situation, the driver applied emergency braking, but nothing happened due to a system malfunction that could have been detected before leaving the warehouse. In addition, the driver did not use the other two emergency braking methods. As a result, the tram drove onto a railroad crossing and collided with two men and a woman crossing the tracks on a green light. As a result of the accident, the woman required emergency medical care. Unfortunately, she died six days after being admitted to the Mariinsky Hospital.
At the court hearing, the driver pleaded guilty. The prosecution asked for a three-year prison sentence and a suspension of his driving license for two years and six months.
"I sincerely regret what I did and apologize to those who suffered." After the accident, I was in a state of decline for more than four months, and although I have four children, a wife and a granddaughter, I could not take on any administrative duties. "Please sentence me to a punishment other than imprisonment," he said.
The court found the driver guilty. He was sentenced to two years in prison and two years probation. He was also banned from driving for one year and six months.
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