4-Year-Old Boy and His 35-Year-Old Mother in Coma after an ATV Crashed into Pedestrians in Sunny Beach

A serious accident occurred on an alley between two hotels in Sunny Beach seaside resort when a teenager riding an ATV hit and six people, including three children.

The most seriously injured are a 4-year-old boy and his 35-year-old mother, both of whom are in a coma in the intensive care unit. The boy’s father and his two nieces, who were also injured, are not in life-threatening condition.

A hotel employee suffered a fractured pelvis when the ATV crashed into the hotel.

At around 2:00 p.m. on August 14, the 18-year-old rented the recreational ATV. Only a few metres after setting off, he mounted the pavement and hit pedestrians.

"He got onto the pavement and mowed down our employee. When we arrived at the scene, he was lying on the ground. From what we know so far, he has a broken pelvis. We are waiting for the test results," said hotelier Stefan Smirnov.

Before crashing into the hotel façade, the ATV also struck a man, a woman, and the three children with them.

"There was a young woman unconscious, three ambulances on site, a small child around 5 or 6 years old also unconscious, and another young child lying on the ground. The scene was shocking," said eyewitness Ivaylo Dimitrov.

The driver told police that the brakes failed and that, to avoid a head-on collision with a car, he swerved onto the pavement. The people from whom he rented the vehicle declined to comment.

"I haven’t noticed any rules being followed. They drive however they like, smoke cigarettes, look at their phones—I don’t know what speed they reach, but they are definitely very dangerous," Smirnov added.

A technical inspection will determine whether the vehicle was roadworthy. The 18-year-old driver has been detained, and his alcohol and drug tests came back negative.