Four killed on roads in first 2 weeks of 2018
A YOUNG father died in a crash just 150 metres from home, bringing to four the number of people killed on the roads in the first two weeks of 2018.
The death of married dad-of-three Bedri Gümüş, 35, two hours after the accident outside the Soli ruins at 11.45am on Thursday, came just over 24 hours after a cyclist died in hospital following a collision with a car on a poorly lit stretch of road between Gazimağusa and Lefkoşa.
Police said firemen had to cut Mr Gümuş free of the wreckage after he lost control of his car and hit another vehicle headon on the GemikonağıYeşilırmak road. He died after being transferred from Cengiz Topel Hospital at Yeşilyurt to Lefkoşa State Hospital.
Four other people also needed hospital treatment.
In the week’s other fatality Turkmenistan national Yazgeldi Rahmanov was initially revived by doctors after his heart stopped beating but finally lost his fight for life at Lefkoşa State Hospital during the early hours of Wednesday.
Hours later, Hasan Anıt, 26, who was at the wheel of the car involved in the accident, appeared before Lefkoşa District Court where he was remanded in custody on charges including causing death by careless driving.
The collision at about 8pm on Tuesday occurred between the Lefkoşa-Gazimağusa road’s Cihangir and Ercan junctions which local residents and road safety campaigners say has been in darkness every night since lighting stopped working there several months ago. The bicycle being ridden by Mr Rahmanov also had no lights, according reports.
Police said Mr Rahmanov was cycling to a shop in Düzova to buy credits for his mobile phone.
Meanwhile, a man was in intensive care in Lefkoşa State Hospital after a crash near the Karpaz village of Yeşilköy last Saturday morning. Cemalettin Açık was said to have lost control of his car on a bend before it crossed to the other side of the road and smashed into a vehicle being driven by Varol Sandal. Mr Sandal was treated for minor injuries in Gazimağusa State Hospital.
Three occupants were injured when a car went out of control, mounted the pavement and smashed into steel barriers before colliding with a tree in Lefkoşa at about 7am last Saturday. to Passers-by pulled the injured from the vehicle before they were taken to Near East University Hospital. According to reports, two of the injured told police that they were the driver but were arrested for giving false statements.
Also in the capital, the driver of a sports car lost control of the vehicle near Girne Gate at about 9am on Sunday when it mounted the pavement and smashed into an electricity pole. İrfan Kaya, who was at the wheel, was treated for minor injuries in hospital.
In a similar accident on Monday, Çise Sengun escaped serious injury when her car left the road between Lefkoşa and Gazimağusa at the Ulukışla junction and crashed into trees. Ms Sengun was discharged after treatment in hospital.