05.02.2025 16:40
In the case where five defendants are being tried without detention regarding the accident in Mardin, in which a truck hit two vehicles and pedestrians and overturned, and 21 people, including one police officer, lost their lives when another truck crashed into the crowd at the accident site 33 minutes later, the prosecutor presented their opinion to the court. A prison sentence of up to 15 years was requested for the truck drivers found to be primarily at fault, while acquittal was requested for three company officials.
On August 20, 2022, in the Derik district of Mardin, a truck carrying fertilizer with the license plate 73 SN 384, driven by Yunus Şataflı, overturned after hitting two vehicles and pedestrians near a gas station in the Bahçelievler neighborhood. In the accident, Şervan (6) and Mihriban Tanrısever (11), who were returning home after buying chocolate from a market, as well as İbrahim Halil Has (80) and İnan Berk (35), lost their lives. Upon notification, police, gendarmerie, fire brigade, and medical teams were dispatched to the scene. Locals also gathered in the area to watch the teams' efforts.
THE TRUCK CRASHED INTO THE CROWD 33 MINUTES LATER Thirty-three minutes after the accident, another truck loaded with fertilizer, driven by Umut Gündüz with the license plate 34 NMB 53, crashed into the crowd at the accident site. As people in the crowd tried to escape to the sides, the truck ran over many individuals and came to a stop after hitting an apartment building. In this accident, police officer Yahya Ergin (33), who was intervening at the scene, was martyred, and Bessi Bağlayan (57), İrfan Aktaş (45), Mülkiye Acar (56), Ünal Ekinci (24), Baran Açan (28), Hamit Akkoyun (82), Ahmet Aktay (30), Sıtti Abul (84), Fesih Dağ (61), Velat Dağ (45), Kemal Dağ (60), Hatip Denk (66), Necla Arda (27), İsa Ayebe (42), Baver Babur (17), and Nofa Çelik (84) lost their lives. A total of 47 people injured in both accidents were taken to the hospital. The accidents caused significant damage to 11 vehicles and 3 businesses.
15 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT REQUESTED FOR TRUCK DRIVERS Following the accident, the truck drivers Umut Gündüz and Yunus Şataflı, along with company officials K.G., M.A., and K.M.G., who were detained and arrested, began to be tried without detention at the Mardin 1st High Criminal Court. Truck driver Umut Gündüz was released to be tried without detention at the 3rd hearing on June 20, 2023, while Yunus Şataflı was released at the 4th hearing on December 5, 2023. The 7th hearing of the case, which was held yesterday at the Mardin 1st High Criminal Court, was postponed to February 27, 2025, while the prosecutor presented the opinion on the merits to the court panel. In the opinion, the truck drivers Umut Gündüz and Yunus Şataflı were found to be primarily at fault, and the prosecutor requested their punishment under Article 85/2 of the Turkish Penal Code. The prosecution, which announced its opinion regarding the truck accident, requested up to 15 years of imprisonment for the two drivers, while seeking acquittal for the owners of the companies to which the vehicles were affiliated.
BOTH WERE FOUND PRIMARILY AT FAULT In the opinion, it was noted that truck drivers Yunus Şataflı and Umut Gündüz did not show sufficient care to drive with appropriate gear and speed, considering the technical specifications of the vehicles, the load, and the road structure while proceeding on a downhill slope, and that they caused the brake system of their vehicle to overheat and weaken the braking effect due to frequent braking. The opinion pointed out that the defendants ignored the improper gear usage and brake wear on the steep slope, and stated that they did not take into account the speed limits and traffic signs while driving their vehicles. Furthermore, the opinion requested that truck drivers Yunus Şataflı and Umut Gündüz be punished with imprisonment of 2 to 15 years for the crime of "causing the death of multiple people by negligence" under Article 85/2 of the Turkish Penal Code. It was also requested that acquittal be granted for company owners K.G., M.A., and K.M.G. In the hearing scheduled for February 27, it is expected that the lawyers will defend against the opinion.