20 years in prison for Semerdzhiev for the accident on Cherni Vrah Blvd. and at the second instance

20 years in prison for Georgi Semerdzhiev and in the second instance. This was stated to bTV by the lawyers of the two victims of the horrific accident on Cherni Vrah Blvd. in Sofia, Hariet and Hristina.

The decision of the Sofia Court of Appeal was issued this afternoon. It fully confirms the decision of the regional court. Georgi Semerdzhiev received 20 years in prison.

We learned about the development of the legal process today from the two lawyers. At this moment, the information has not been officially confirmed by the court. We learned from the advocates for the victims’ families that the decision is 74 pages long.

We remind you that at first instance Georgi Semerdzhiev was found guilty of five charges – for causing the accident with two victims on Cherni Vrah Blvd. in Sofia, for driving after using amphetamine and methamphetamine, for using his fake driver’s license, false license plates and possession of methamphetamine.

Today’s decision of the court can be appealed to the Supreme Court of Cassation. Whether this will happen and what are the reasons for it will most likely become clear tomorrow.

The fatal accident happened in July 2022 on Cherni Vrah Blvd. in Sofia. After hitting a taxi car, Semerdzhiev’s jeep crashed into the subway elevator and split in half. According to the experts in the case, Semerdzhiev was driving at over 160 km/h.

Semerdzhiev’s initial version was that he was not driving the jeep. Before the court, he claimed that he had been kidnapped. Therefore, investigators had to link him to the car at the time of the crash with as much evidence as possible.

Key to the prosecution is the DNA examination, which established traces of the victims on the defendant, as he touched his car. In addition, one of Semeredzhiev’s sneakers was found at the scene, and the other at his home.

From a forensic psychiatric examination, it became known that during a conversation with a psychiatrist, Semerdzhiev said that he used amphetamine, methamphetamine and other substances from time to time, and that he may have taken methamphetamine five to seven days before his arrest.

The investigators also established that since he did not have keys, he already called former policewoman Simona Radeva, suspected of providing him with protection. According to the deed, she provided him with a ladder to enter her home.

Dozens of police officers were also investigated because of the accident with Semerdzhiev and the suspicions of an “umbrella” over him. Because of the case, more than 10 heads of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were punished. Among them are three directors of regional offices in Sofia – of the 5th, 6th and 7th RU.