Driver detained in hospital after fatal crash in Paphos

A passenger was killed in a road accident in Paphos district on Saturday following a head-on collision, with police arresting one driver and ordering blood drawn from both surviving motorists to test for alcohol and narcotics.

Police said 23-year-old Charalambos Charalambous from Argaka was a passenger in a vehicle driven by a 21-year-old man that got involved in an accident Saturday early morning around 3:15am along the Prodromi-Latchi road.

According to Paphos traffic police spokesperson Michalis Nicolaou, the two men from Paphos were heading south when another car driven towards Latchi by an 18-year-old male crossed over the centerline.

Charalambous was fatally wounded following a violent frontal collision, while the two drivers were rushed to the Emergency Room at Paphos General Hospital where the 21-year-old was said to be in critical condition.

Despite suffering only minor injuries, the 18-year-old male also remained in hospital, with Nicolaou saying medics had been instructed to take blood samples from both drivers to test for any alcohol or narcotic substances.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, the 18-year-old man was officially detained briefly but was expected to be released on Sunday. It was not clear whether he had given consent for a blood sample before or after his arrest.

“The test results from blood alcohol and narcotics tests are expected within the next few days,” Nicolaou told CNA.

Based on preliminary findings, none of the three men described as Greek Cypriots had been wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.