Fatal Accident in Sunny Beach: ATV Crash Investigation

The serious accident with a fatal outcome in Sunny Beach, in which an 18-year-old youth, Nikola Burgasliev, operating an ATV, hit five pedestrians, is the subject of a thorough investigation.

Investigator Marian Marinov, spokesman for the National Investigative Service, provided details of the tragic incident to the media. A 35-year-old woman, Hristina, lost her life, and the condition of her 4-year-old child, Martin, is stabilized and improving.

Marinov emphasized the results of the technical examination of the ATV, carried out in a specialized service.

"From the inspection, which was carried out on the ATV, in a specialized service for such technical tests, I personally made sure that all the brake wheels exert the necessary braking force above the legally required parameters."

, he said. According to Marinov, there is no evidence of technical problems that prevented the vehicle from stopping.

"We are talking about a technical reason that would not allow the vehicle to stop. And this is one of the questions that has been posed to the experts. Is there a technical reason that led to the accident, or are these the actions of the driver?"

, the investigator explained.

The auto-technical expertise, which is expected to be completed within the day or the beginning of next week, will focus on a number of key aspects. In addition to the speed of the ATV, experts will analyze the visibility for the driver – both in relation to oncoming vehicles and in relation to the pedestrians into whose group the ATV crashed.

Investigator Marinov emphasized the unique nature of the available evidence.

"This is a unique case in which the entire route of the vehicle"s movement, from its departure to the maneuvers themselves and the impact on the group of pedestrians, is documented on these cameras. They show the route of movement. The entire movement is no more than 10-15 seconds. From departure to the impact itself. The distance there is quite short. Even at the very start, we have a maneuver – a left turn, entering oncoming traffic, a sharp maneuver to the right in front of an oncoming vehicle towards the group of pedestrians."

, describing in detail the recorded footage. The recordings show that the incident unfolded in no more than 10-15 seconds, from the moment of departure to the impact. The driver"s maneuvers are clearly visible on the cameras – a left turn, entering oncoming traffic, and a sharp turn to the right immediately before the collision with the pedestrians.

The speed of the ATV at the time of the accident was below 30 km/h, Marinov indicated, a speed that is within the permitted limit. However, the investigator emphasized that the driver had an obligation to stop when encountering an oncoming vehicle, according to the Road Traffic Act, especially after September 7, with the entry into force of the new law.

"The rescue maneuver does not exonerate the driver. The fact that he made a maneuver to the right to avoid a collision with the oncoming vehicle does not exonerate him. It"s even forbidden to make a maneuver to the right. He should have only stopped. No technical reason was found for why he didn"t stop."

, Marinov said, categorically rejecting the possibility of justifying the driver_q_s actions. The investigation continues.