UPD Drunk driver without license kills woman in traffic accident; released with no charges

The collision was extremely violent and resulted in the two vehicles being transformed into a shapeless mass of metal.

The victim, Hara, was driving to a logo-therapy center to pick up her oldest son. The man had left a tavern and was driving home.

Alcohol test at the scene showed that the driver was drunk with an alcohol content in his blood more than double the maximum limit. Furthermore, his license permit was revoked some months ago for driving under the influence of alcohol.

“He should never take a car into his hands again. Let’s not mourn any more lives,” the victim’s husband said full of bitterness.

“I buried the mother of my children, my sadness is greater. The state and the competent bodies must look into this and regulate it,” the husband commented upon hearing of the driver’s release.

A serial offender

The history of violations of the 60-year-old driver in Thessaloniki
The perpetrator of the fatal traffic accident in Lagadas has been arrested four times for driving under the influence of alcohol and twice for driving without a license:

• March 2023: First arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol
• June 2024: Second arrest for drunkenness and removal of license for 5 years
• August 2023: Two arrests on the same day, one for driving without a license and one for driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the removal of the license for 10 year
• Despite the repeated violations, the 60-year-old continued to drive drunk, resulting in the fatal traffic accident in Lagadas, Thessaloniki.

Waiting for toxicology tests

Now, toxicology tests of the driver are awaited to determine whether, in addition to being drunk, he was also under the influence of other substances. The 60-year-old was released by order of the prosecutor.

On Friday he is expected to be discharged from the hospital in Thessaloniki where he is being treated, due to his injuries in the traffic accident he caused.

The failure to prosecute the 60-year-old repeat offender is causing common sentiment and anger among the residents of Lagadas and the wider Thessaloniki area, who are demanding justice for victim Hara and her family.

Justice demand also several people on X – formerly Twitter – as Hara was a beloved, wise and witty active member.

“I ran into a strict police officer,” says the 60-year-old about the other times he was caught drunk

He was asked about the other times he has been arrested drunk and without a license and replied “Two other times I was caught driving drunk, with two beers each time, you understand? I ran into a strict police officer! He tells ironiclly me “get on a bike”.

Police officers puzzled

Police officials, who are monitoring the development of this case, told ANT1 TV that “they are extremely concerned because this 60-year-old driver has demonstrated extremely dangerous driving behavior. He had been arrested four times while intoxicated, twice without a license and he unrepentantly continued to drive without a license and constantly drunk.

A high-ranking police officer wondered “how is it possible that no criminal charges have been filed? When this driver killed while driving under the influence of alcohol and without a license?”

The prosecutor released him, but how can we be sure Are you sure, as the police said, that he won’t relapse again and won’t take the keys and go out on the street again? The 60-year-old is currently in the hospital, no longer under guard.

UPDATE: 

On Friday, the prosecutor ordered the man’s arrest for felony. He remain hospitalized under police guard.

His lawyer told media, that her client, a lonely man from a dysfunctional family, has been a ‘human wreck’ for his entire life and in need of medical support.