15.08.2025 22:00
In Balıkesir, a paving stone that flew off the wheel of a municipal excavation truck broke the windshield of an oncoming car, resulting in the death of 3.5-year-old Teoman, who was sitting in the back seat. The court ruled that the stone was the primary cause of the incident and that no fault could be attributed to another person or institution. The grieving father stated, "The 'stone,' which has no mobility, was practically declared the sole responsible party."
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On August 31, 2024, a heartbreaking incident occurred in the Burhaniye district of Balıkesir. Mustafa Raşit Konya (35), who was driving a car on his way back from Kütahya to Ayvalık, Balıkesir, was struck in the head by a lock stone that flew off the wheels of an excavation truck with license plate 10 RP 118, driven by I.D. from the Burhaniye Municipality, as it passed through Burhaniye. Little Teoman, who was sitting next to his mother Hasibe Konya in the back seat, was severely injured and could not be saved despite all interventions at the hospital.
THE STONE WAS FOUND TO BE THE PRIMARY CAUSE After an approximately one-year investigation regarding the incident, the prosecutor's office decided that there was 'no grounds for prosecution.' The family's appeal against this decision was evaluated by the Burhaniye Criminal Court of Peace. The court stated that the stone was the primary cause of the incident and that no other person or institution could be held responsible, thus rejecting the appeal.
In the court's decision, it was stated, "Considering that the stone that flew off the wheel of the truck with license plate 10 RP 118 was the primary cause of the incident, and that there is no other person/institution/element to be held responsible, it has been understood that the evidence in the file was collected and discussed, that the procedures during the investigation phase were carried out in accordance with the law, that the evidence was shown and discussed in the decision, and that the prosecutor's decision did not contain any legal violations regarding procedure and substance."
Additionally, it was noted in the file that the report from the Forensic Medicine Institution's Traffic Specialization Department accepted that the stone flew off the truck's wheel.
"THE INERT STONE WAS DECLARED THE SOLE RESPONSIBLE" Mustafa Raşit Konya expressed that neither the driver nor the institution was penalized regarding the incident that cost his son Teoman's life. He recounted his experiences: "On August 31, 2024, the lock stone that flew off the wheels of the excavation truck belonging to the Burhaniye Municipality entered our vehicle's front window while we were traveling in the opposite lane and struck my son Teoman, who was sitting next to his mother in the back seat. Teoman was only 3.5 years old, and due to the severe blow to his head, my son unfortunately lost his life. We waited patiently for justice to be served, suppressing our pain and anger. However, after nearly a year of investigation, a decision was made with a justification that is hard to find an example of in legal history, stating 'there are no grounds for prosecution.' In the decision, the 'stone' with no mobility was virtually declared the sole responsible party. However, witness statements, police reports, camera recordings, GPS data, and technical examinations clearly revealed that the stone flew off the truck's wheels and had a direct causal link to the death. Nevertheless, no person or institution was found to be at fault," he said.
"THEY DIDN'T EVEN OFFER CONDOLENCES" Konya, who claimed that the report prepared by the Forensic Medicine Institution's Traffic Specialization Department accepted that the stone flew off the truck's wheel but did not attribute fault to the driver, thus falling into contradiction, stated, "The technical evidence and witness statements are clear enough to eliminate this contradiction. The attitude of the Burhaniye Municipality during this process is also very disappointing. After the accident that caused us to lose our child, not even a simple condolence was offered. In my direct application to the municipality, there was no response to our very small but morally significant request, such as naming a children's park after our son. We expected the municipality to conduct its internal investigation meticulously and pursue all responsible parties. We have made an individual application to the Constitutional Court and are initiating the legal process. Most importantly, we will use all legal avenues to seek a retrial with seriously prepared technical reports," he said.
All that remains of Teoman are his toys and the photos taken with his parents, while his family stated that they will continue their legal battle to the end.
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