Bulgarian driver says he fell asleep at the wheel

Police investigators learned that the driver in Monday’s Larnaca rollover accident had fallen asleep at the wheel and did not wake up until after the crash, which caused the death of a little girl.

(Click here for an update to the story)

“Okay, I admit it,” the 34-year-old suspect told investigators.

He was being questioned about a possible driving under the influence offence around 2:40pm, when the car he was driving alone slammed into a pickup truck from behind, causing the vehicle with a family of five to swivel and then roll over.

A five-year-old girl was fatally injured in the crash and died as she was being taken to the Emergency Room at Larnaca General Hospital.

Her mother was also injured along with the family’s two other children, while the father who was driving was unharmed. Nobody in the pickup truck had been wearing a seat belt according to police. 

The suspect tried to explain to investigators that he was seeing a psychiatrist and taking prescription drugs.

A state doctor will examine the suspect to evaluate the man’s claims whether or not his prescription medication could influence his driving capabilities.

According to the man’s vague recollection, he fell asleep at the wheel and woke up only after his car came to a complete stop, which was some 300 metres away from the point of collision according to police.