A suspect in a traffic accident that left 12 people dead faces at least 5 years in prison
Law enforcement officials have charged the driver of a Nissan Murano with a gross violation of traffic laws after he caused an accident in the Mykolaiv region that left 12 people dead and 6 injured.
The offender’s actions have been classified under the article on violations of traffic safety rules resulting in the death of several people, which carries a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years.
The issue of imposing a preventive measure in the form of pretrial detention on the suspect is currently being decided. The accident occurred on July 4, 2026, on the “Odesa–Melitopol–Novoazovsk” highway near the intersection with the road leading to the village of Shchaslyve in the Mykolaiv district. While passing another vehicle, the Nissan driver veered into the oncoming lane, forcing a Mercedes-Benz minibus to swerve to avoid a collision, causing it to roll over and crash into a Volvo truck, while the driver at fault continued driving and was later detained by law enforcement.
This was reported by the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
The accident occurred on July 4, 2026, at approximately 7:42 a.m. on the Odesa–Melitopol–Novoazovsk highway near the intersection with the road leading to the village of Shchaslyve in the Mykolaiv district. According to the investigation, the suspect was traveling from Odesa toward Mykolaiv. Despite heavy traffic and without ensuring it was safe to do so, he began to pass a vehicle traveling in the same direction and veered into oncoming traffic.
At that moment, a Mercedes-Benz 313 CDI minibus carrying passengers was traveling toward him within its own lane. In an attempt to avoid a head-on collision, the minibus driver swerved onto the shoulder, lost control, and the vehicle overturned, veered into the oncoming lane, and crashed into a Volvo truck. The Nissan driver fled the scene of the accident but was later apprehended.
A day of mourning was declared in Mykolaiv following the fatal accident.
