Truck driver sent to Gümülcine prison after fatal highway crash kills three

A tragic traffic accident on the Egnatia Highway between İskeçe and Gümülcine has left three people dead. The 56-year-old truck driver involved in the collision has been arrested and sent to Gümülcine Prison.

Accident Details
The crash occurred around midday on Monday, August 18, near the Iasmos toll station. A truck collided with a car, causing the vehicle to catch fire and burn completely within minutes.

Four people were inside the car. Three victims — a 59-year-old driver, a 61-year-old passenger, and a 57-year-old woman — died at the scene from severe burns. A 49-year-old woman managed to escape with injuries.

Legal Proceedings
The truck driver, who survived with injuries, was treated at Gümülcine Hospital before being transferred to court. Following a joint decision by the prosecutor and examining judge, he has been charged with manslaughter by negligence, negligent bodily harm, and dangerous driving, and remanded to Gümülcine Prison.

Toxicology results are pending to determine whether alcohol or drugs played a role. Forensic experts are also examining the crash dynamics, including speed and impact angle.

Forensic Report Highlights Severity
Autopsy results from forensic pathologist Nikolaos Kifnidis revealed the extreme violence of the collision. Victims suffered broken ribs, skull fractures, and internal organ damage.

The report noted that those severely injured in the initial impact likely lost consciousness, preventing them from feeling the flames. Experts suggest that the truck may have struck the car near the fuel tank, causing the fire to spread rapidly.

Victims
According to police sources, all three deceased and the surviving woman were Albanian nationals residing in Athens.