DRUNK AND DRUGS DEAD YOUNG Stefan stopped to help a passerby change a tire, for which he died when he was hit by a BMW, the prosecution seeks at least SIX YEARS IN PRISON

In his closing remarks, Dejan Mitic (28) from Nis, who is accused of driving an unregistered drunk and drugged BMW without a driver’s license, caused a serious traffic accident in which Stefan Kocic (20) from Niska Banja died on the 9 August of last year.

According to “Blic”, the injured young man and his friends began to help the driver of the “Zastava 101” when they did not know him, to change the tire, when Mitic collided with them.

The senior deputy prosecutor requested that Mitic be sentenced to at least six years.

– We believe that we have proven that the defendant was driving a vehicle that was not registered, without a driver’s license, at a speed greater than the permitted speed of 25 kilometers per hour, and that on a critical occasion he was driving violently. When walking around the stopped vehicle and pedestrians, he did not maintain a safe distance. His ability to drive was further reduced by alcohol and a psychoactive substance, so he was unable to drive. We suggest that the court find him guilty and sentence him to six years in prison – said the representative of the Superior Public Ministry.

Photo: B. Janačković / RAS Serbia

The Kocic family’s lawyer, Bratislav Stojanovic, requested a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.

– I believe that based on all the evidence presented, no mitigating circumstances have been established by the accused, nor by the “flag” driver there is a contribution to the teaching of the traffic accident that occurred at night in the settlement, so Visibility was excellent, almost daytime, so donning a safety triangle and wearing a suitable fluorescent vest would make no difference. Likewise, on the side of the pedestrian who changed the front left tire and the one next to him, there is no contribution to this accident because they did not move on the road or were passengers on the “flag” so they were not required to use a fluorescent vest – said Stojanovic.

He pointed out the dire consequences of a car accident in which a young man was killed and pointed out the ways in which a BMW driver committed a crime that, had he driven without narcotics or alcohol in his blood, could have avoided hitting the “flag” and pedestrians very easily. , at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

– The conditions for imposing a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison and a security measure that prohibits driving a vehicle for five years have been met, because that would achieve the purpose of the punishment – Stojanović said.

Photo: BRANKO JANAČKOVIĆ / RAS Serbia

Defendant Kocic’s defense attorney, Ivica Knezevic, asked the court to sentence him to three years in prison, noting that the driver of the “flag”, who was stopped on the road without four turn signals, also contributed to this tragic event .

– The Defense does not dispute that the Defendant was driving under the influence of alcohol and that he was driving without the right to drive a vehicle. Regarding the presence of cocaine, one of whose metabolites is found in the blood, I believe that the presence of this substance is not affected because when ingested and decomposed it raises the level of adrenaline in the blood, keeps the person awake, and Taking into account these facts, I consider that this did not influence the occurrence of the traffic accident. Furthermore, the fact that you were driving an unregistered car has no effect on this traffic accident as it did not cancel the braking mechanism, nor was any malfunction determined that led to this accident and the tragic outcome. I would especially like to highlight the opinion of the expert, who states that the driver of the “Zastava 101”, Mladen Davidović, contributed to the traffic accident with his critical behavior. The expert explained that the omission was that the parked vehicle was not marked in the prescribed way, no triangle was placed in front, so when changing the tire, the driver did not have a light reflective vest and the turn signals were not included. The expert explained that the four flashing lights warn the driver that he is passing the parked vehicle in the best way of danger on the road. All witnesses confirmed that the turn signals were not included and the technical evidence established that the light bulbs they had were damaged and removed. That this is a significant influence, the defense concludes that the defendant tried to react by moving his vehicle to the left, and the expert determined that BMW’s contact with the “flag” and the injured pedestrian was at a small angle of 12 degrees. Knezevic in the final. words.

He stated that as mitigating factors that the court must assess when passing sentence, that the defendant is an unconvicted person, father of a minor and that another is on the way, who is in an unenviable economic situation because he lost his job due to this fact, and that he is aware of all the consequences of this crime that will surely change his life. According to Knezevic, he is aware that he extinguished a human life, for which he sincerely regrets, for which he believes that the purpose of the punishment would be achieved with a sentence of three years.

Victim’s mother: “The maximum penalty must be imposed”

The mother of victim Stefan, who tearfully followed the delivery of closing arguments after today’s search, said 12 years is a small sentence for such a crime.

– The maximum penalty should be imposed, and 12 years is not enough. The law must be changed, so that in such cases more severe penalties can be imposed, then drivers would start to think when they get behind the wheel, said Biljana Kocic through tears.

The accident occurred at the Niška Banja entrance to Ulica srpskih junaka, and Mitic was driving a vehicle with 2.2 per thousand.

The verdict will be handed down on September 29.