Six of those injured in the serious crash on the Hemus Motorway remain in hospital following the collision near the entrance to Sofia in the early hours on May 12, in which one person was killed and 16 others were injured.
According to Commissioner Martin Tsurinski, deputy head of the Traffic Police Department at the Sofia Directorate of the Interior Ministry, one of the injured remains in a life-threatening condition, while 10 others were treated and discharged. A three-year-old child was also among those hurt.
The exact causes of the crash will now be examined as part of the pre-trial investigation.
Minister of Transport, Georgi Peev, has ordered an immediate inspection following the serious accident.
Commissioner Tsurinski said that both drivers involved had previous violations under Bulgaria’s Road Traffic Act. The bus driver, whose vehicle collided with a lorry on the Hemus motorway, had committed 45 traffic offences, while the lorry driver had 29 breaches of road rules. Both men had previously had their driving licences suspended.
“What we know about the two drivers is that the driver of the bus obtained his licence in 1985. He was born in 1967, and his record currently shows 45 violations of the Road Traffic Act. In 2017, he served a 10-month driving suspension. As far as I know, this was related to a road accident involving alcohol,” Commissioner Tsurinski said.
Commissioner Martin Tsurinski added: “The driver of the articulated lorry was born in 1982 and obtained his licence in 2000. To date, he has committed 29 traffic offences. He has also previously had his licence suspended twice — once in 2006 for one month and again in 2008 for five months.”
All those involved in the road accident are expected to be questioned as part of the investigation.
There is no video surveillance coverage in the area where the crash occurred.
Both drivers were tested at the scene for alcohol and drugs.
"The alcohol tests results were negative. The roadside drug test for the lorry driver returned a positive result for amphetamine and methamphetamine. The driver has provided a blood sample, and the results will determine conclusively whether he was driving under the influence of drugs.”
The driver reportedly explained that he was taking medication due to a deteriorating health condition.
Both drivers are due to be interviewed. They have been detained, although one of them remains among those hospitalised following the crash.
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