Orce Dimitrievski sentenced to 12 years for crash near Katlanovo tunnel
Basic Court Veles found him guilty for the October 16, 2024 accident that killed three workers and injured three more.
A Basic Court in Veles has sentenced Orce Dimitrievski to 12 years in prison for a traffic crash near the Katlanovo tunnel that killed three workers and seriously injured three others.
The five-member criminal panel, which included judges Angel Tripchev and Emina Kalach, issued the verdict after finding Dimitrievski guilty. In addition to the prison term, the court imposed a one-year driving ban to take effect after the sentence becomes final; the ban will not be reduced by any time Dimitrievski spends in custody.
Charges and facts of the case
Dimitrievski was convicted of “Serious offenses against the safety of people and property in traffic” under Article 300(2) in conjunction with Article 297(1) of the Criminal Code, and the court found that the act was committed with intent. Prosecutors say he was driving a Ford Transit registered in Skopje while transporting workers from work to their homes in Veles.
The collision occurred on 16 October 2024 at 17:35 on the Skopje–Veles highway, near the Katlanovo tunnel. Three workers died at the scene and three others sustained severe injuries.
The court spelled out both the custodial sentence and the ancillary driving ban in its ruling; the judgment will take effect once it becomes final and any appeals are exhausted or the deadline for appeal lapses.
Authorities have said the verdict applies to the events of that afternoon on the highway; the court documents list the specific criminal articles and the finding of intent in the commission of the offense.
Photo: SDK.MK)
