The driver of the bus that fell into the Moika River has been arrested for two months

The Oktyabrsky District Court of St. Petersburg has arrested the driver of the bus that fell into the river for two months. He has been charged under the article “Traffic violation resulting in the death of two or more people.” He faces up to seven years in prison.

It is reported that Rahmatshokh Kurbonov admitted that the bus’s brakes were faulty and expressed remorse for operating the bus with a defective braking system. He also extended his condolences.

Published footage shows that Kurbonov lost control: he veered into oncoming traffic, knocked down barriers, and hit several cars. According to preliminary data, he felt unwell at the wheel.

Earlier, it was reported that the bus driver was forced to go on a route the morning after a 20-hour shift and only 5 hours of sleep. The wife of driver Rahmatshokh Kurbonov said that her husband came home around two in the morning, having started work at five in the morning. By half-past seven, he was already woken up and told to get back behind the wheel. According to his wife, the man did not complain about his health, but fatigue may have played a role.

It was previously reported that a passenger bus fell into the Moika River from the Poets Bridge in the center of St. Petersburg. The accident occurred on Friday, May 10, during the day. Seven people died.

The traffic accident involving public transport has become the deadliest in St. Petersburg in the last twenty years. Two more victims are in serious condition. At the time of the accident, there were twenty people on the bus, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.