Sentence Reduction Again for Sergeant Who Caused a Death While Driving Armored Vehicle

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Specialized sergeant S.K. has been sentenced to three years in prison for causing the death of an 85-year-old woman by hitting her with an armored vehicle; the court has reduced her sentence to 2 years and 6 months "considering the impact of the sentence on the defendant's future."

On June 14, 2017, in the Lice district of the mostly Kurdish-populated southeastern district of Diyarbakır, Pakize Hazar was hit by an armored vehicle while she was going to the PTT (public post service) on the Ağa Street, which was closed to car traffic, to receive her old-age pension.

She died at the scene of the incident.

Sentence reduction the first lawsuit

Driver S.K. was released from detention after giving testimony. A lawsuit was filed against him with the request of a prison sentence from 2 to 6 years for "causing death by negligence."

He stated in his testimony on February 16, 2018, that the woman was at the "blind spot" when he hit her and said that the incident was an accident.

He was sentenced to 2 years in prison by the Lice Penal Court of First Instance on June 6, 2018. The court reduced the sentence to 20 months considering the impact of the sentence on the defendant's future," and deferred the announcement of the verdict.

Sentence increased in the second trial

After the Diyarbakır 7th Heavy Penal Court overturned the verdict, S.K. has been retried for "causing death by negligence" and sentenced to three years in prison.

The court has reduced the sentence to 2 years and 6 months for the same reason.

It also ruled that the driving license of the defendant shall be confiscated for six months. (HA/VK)