In Arys, the trial is nearing its end for the tragic car crash that killed a pregnant woman and two children when a vehicle plowed into a bench in a residential courtyard, reports infohub.kz.
According to Channel 7, the proceedings in Turkistan are close to conclusion over the fatal accident that occurred in June. The crash claimed three lives, including an expectant mother. On trial is a schoolteacher who, according to the prosecution, was driving under the influence of alcohol.
Relatives of the victims stated during the hearings that they do not intend to forgive the defendant and demanded the harshest possible punishment. That June day changed the lives of several families: the accused herself and two families whose members were resting in the yard and lost loved ones. The crash killed two children and a pregnant woman. Another person sustained severe injuries, and two others were hospitalized with moderate injuries.
The state prosecutor requested a 10-year prison sentence for the defendant. "In accordance with Part 2 of Article 58 of the Criminal Code, I ask that by absorbing the lesser punishment with the more severe one, the final sentence be 10 years in prison with a lifelong ban on driving vehicles. Since she has a daughter under 14 in her care, I ask that the execution of the sentence be postponed for one year," prosecutor Akzharkyn Orazbay told the court.
During the closing arguments, those involved could not hold back tears. Dana Ussimbek, 30, and her one-and-a-half-year-old child sustained severe injuries. The five-year-old girl who died at the scene was her daughter. "We lost our child whom we raised and nurtured. I myself became disabled. My health and my child's health will never recover. Instead of gathering documents and taking my daughter to school, I go to her grave and read prayers," said the victim Dana Ussimbek.
The defendant herself asked the court for leniency, citing that she is raising a minor daughter with a disability. She stated that she repents and asked for forgiveness. The verdict in this case will be announced on Monday, September 7.
Recall that the tragedy occurred in June in the city of Arys, Turkistan region: near a private house, women and children were sitting on a bench when an SUV crashed into them at full speed. As a result, people were pinned against a brick fence, which also collapsed. Killed were a 29-year-old pregnant woman, her 2-year-old son, and a neighbor's 5-year-old daughter. Later it was found that the car was driven by a 52-year-old teacher from a local school, who, according to expert examination, was intoxicated.