Drunk driver who killed couple jailed

A DRUNK driver who caused the deaths of a married couple in a horror crash on the GüzelyurtLefkoşa main road in 2019 was jailed for five and half years on Thursday.

Mustafa Ürcan, 35, was found guilty of causing the deaths of Seda and Devrim Yılmaz. He was driving from Güzelyurt to Lefkoşa at a speed of 148kph while under the influence of alcohol in the early hours of November 2, 2019, when he crashed into the vehicle driven by Seda Yılmaz, who was travelling in the same direction in front of him, Lefkoşa Assize Court heard.

Ms Yılmaz’s car was “thrown about 150 metres” due to the impact and “went under an 18wheeler truck parked in a dirt area on the left of the road”. Ms Yılmaz and her husband died inside the vehicle at the scene. Mr Ürcan was seriously injured.

The defendant pleaded guilty to a total of eight crimes he was charged with including “causing death by carelessness and recklessness”, “driving while intoxicated”, “dangerous driving”,

“speeding” and “careless driving”.

Reading out the verdict, Senior Judge Şerife Katip announced that the defendant had been convicted “in light of his confession and the facts and evidence presented against him”.

Judge Katip emphasised that the most serious crime committed by the defendant was “causing death by carelessness and recklessness” which carries a maximum sentence of seven years.

The judge also banned Mr Ürcan from driving for a year.