TRAIN DRIVER FROM THE INCIDENT WITH DERAILED TRAIN EXPLOSION IN HITRINO WAS RELEASED ON BAIL

On 3rd of January, Varna appeal court considered the detention order of the two train drivers of the freight train which derailed and exploded in the North Bulgarian village of Hitrino on 10th of December, killing 7 people and injuring 29. The first instance court in Shumen ruled to keep in detention the 41-year-old train driver Dimitar Mihnev. The assistant train driver – the 64-year-old Radoslav Petkov was released on 22nd of December. The prosecution appealed the decision.

Varna appeal court cancelled the decision of Shumen court and ordered another measure for Dimitar Mihnev – a bail at the amount of 10,000 BGN, which is required to be paid within 7 days. If the sum is paid within the deadline, Mihnev will also be released.

The train driver Dimitar Mihnev did not appear in court today and was represented by his lawyer. The defence demanded that the detention in custody measure be cancelled because the driver was unlikely to abscond or commit another crime. The prosecution demanded an extension of the remand because the person did not live at the address pointed in his personal identity card, but resided at a different address.

The second train driver Radoslav Petkov who also faced charges for the incident in Hitrino appeared at court in Varna. He also appealed his measure