Filenews 8 December 2022 - by Ioanna Mantzipa
Among the worst accidents recorded in the Limassol district in recent years, is the new fatality that occurred yesterday morning on the coastal road of Georgiou Vasileos in Germasogeia. The victim was 62-year-old Marta Tyorjanne Tofei from Hungary, a mother of two who died minutes after she left work.
Determinants of the new fatal accident are the increased speed combined with alcohol consumption and the violation of a red light. The 35-year-old Russian driver was taken to court yesterday where he was detained for six days. The offence of causing death by negligence is being investigated against him.
The information of "F" states that the luxurious vehicle of large displacement that the 35-year-old was driving, does not belong to him but to a compatriot.
In the hands of the Traffic Police examiners, according to the same information, there are two important testimonies from eyewitnesses. Two men who were on the sidewalk at an adjacent premises said in their testimony that they saw the 35-year-old's vehicle driven at an increased speed and violating the red light of that intersection. The two witnesses also reported that there was a second vehicle on the road in question, travelling in the same direction, and they may have been engaged in a speeding race.
It should be noted that until yesterday afternoon the 35-year-old arrested man had not been interrogated as he was under the influence of alcohol, but verbally claimed that he passed through the junction on an orange traffic light. At the same time, testimony is expected to be taken from the 27-year-old Ukrainian passenger who, after the violent collision, was unable to give testimony as she suffered shock. The two persons were not seriously injured, despite the violent clash.
The examiners of the Limassol Traffic Police are looking for testimonies from neighbours and closed surveillance circuits. The videos will determine if there was a second vehicle that may have been in a confrontation with the 35-year-old. Also, a deposit is expected to be received from the owner of the vehicle while the two cars will go through a mechanical inspection. The investigation is also expected to involve a special expert who will carry out an inspection of the vehicles in relation to their driving behaviour in the last seconds before the fatal accident took place, while in the coming days a re-enactment will take place.
As far as the 35-year-old is concerned, he is in Cyprus as a visitor and his residence permit expires next week. In fact, this was one of the reasons why the examiner of the case, Deputy Lieutenant Tryfonas Tryfonos, asked for his detention as there was a risk of absconding.
The fatality occurred around 01:00 in the morning, when the 35-year-old's vehicle with the 27-year-old as passenger was heading east on Georgiou Vasileos Street. At the junction of Panagiotis Tsangaris Street, the 35-year-old allegedly did not stop at the red light, resulting in a violent collision with the vehicle of the 62-year-old who was trying to enter the coastal road heading west. Unfortunately, the 62-year-old died instantly while she had to be released by members of the Fire Brigade.
The 35-year-old Russian, who was not injured, underwent an alcohol test with a final reading of 47μg% and was arrested.
