Seven people aged between 17 and 55 lost their lives in a large-scale traffic accident near Lviv.
The incident occurred on December 15 at around 5:30 AM on the “Ternopil – Lviv – Rava-Ruska” highway near the village of Chyzhykiv in the Lviv district.
Investigators, forensic experts, and other specialists from the Lviv Regional Police worked at the scene.
Preliminary reports indicate that a 24-year-old driver of a BMW, a resident of the Lviv district, drove into the oncoming lane and collided with a DAF truck. This caused the truck to lose control and crash into a Mercedes Sprinter minibus. All vehicles ended up in a roadside ditch.
The BMW driver abandoned his car and fled the scene.
The accident claimed the lives of the 23-year-old minibus driver, a resident of Rivne Region, and six of his passengers, aged between 17 and 55.
Three people sustained injuries:
- the 45-year-old DAF truck driver,
- a 23-year-old female passenger of the Mercedes Sprinter from Rivne Region,
- a 49-year-old man from Lviv Region.
All injured individuals were hospitalized.
Police detained the BMW driver under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Preliminary evidence suggests he was under the influence of alcohol. Relevant examinations have been ordered.
The identity of the BMW passenger, a 31-year-old resident of Lviv Region, who fled the scene with the driver, has also been established.
A pre-trial investigation has been launched under Part 4 of Article 286-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of traffic safety rules or vehicle operation by persons under the influence of alcohol). The penalty under this article includes imprisonment for 7 to 12 years, with the revocation of the right to drive for 7 to 10 years.
Additionally, a criminal case has been opened under Part 3 of Article 136 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (failure to provide aid to a person in a life-threatening condition). The penalty includes either restraint of liberty for 3 to 5 years or imprisonment for 2 to 5 years.