Police explain arrest following motorway tragedy
Police have outlined the reasons behind the arrest of a driver following the fatal crash in Skarinou that claimed the life of a 61-year-old motorcyclist on the motorway.
Speaking on Sigma’s Protoselido programme, Police Headquarters Traffic Department Sergeant Tasos Asiiikkis confirmed that a report had been received shortly before the collision regarding a dead dog on the roadway.
According to him, authorities immediately began taking steps to address the situation, but the fatal collision occurred before intervention could take place.
“A call had been received from a member of the public and immediate actions had begun to resolve the problem, but the tragedy occurred before police were able to act,” he said.
Dead dog was already on the road
Asiiikkis explained that preliminary findings indicate the dog was already dead when the collision occurred.
He stressed that Cyprus’ motorways are continuously patrolled by the Traffic Department and that the road network is divided into sectors to ensure rapid responses to incidents.
The officer also urged motorists to remain alert, particularly at night, warning that sudden manoeuvres to avoid animals can be more dangerous than striking them.
“If a collision is unavoidable, it is preferable for a driver to hit the animal rather than cause another road collision,” he said.
He noted that many serious injuries occur when drivers lose control of their vehicles or crash into fixed objects while attempting to avoid animals on the road.
Why was the driver arrested?
Addressing the arrest of a driver who had been travelling behind the victim’s motorcycle before the collision, Asiiikkis said a court warrant can only be issued when there are reasonable suspicions that offences may have been committed.
He explained that the arrest forms part of the investigative process and allows police to question a suspect while examining all aspects of the case.
“For a court warrant to be issued, there must be reasonable suspicions that offences may have been committed. The suspect must be questioned so that every aspect of the case can be investigated,” he said.
Comparison with Aglantzia case
The discussion also turned to the fatal motorcycle collision in Aglantzia, where a young rider lost his life, and questions over why the handling of the two cases appeared different.
Asiiikkis insisted that each investigation is assessed independently and based on its own circumstances.
He explained that specialist collision reconstruction teams attend every fatal road crash to gather and evaluate evidence before decisions are made regarding arrests or further action.
“We cannot place all cases in the same category. There must be absolute certainty that a warrant is not issued without justification,” he said.
Police reject claims of delay
Responding to criticism over the pace of the Aglantzia investigation, Asiiikkis rejected suggestions that police had delayed the process.
He said all requested investigative actions had been completed and that the case file had been submitted to the appropriate authorities before being returned for further review of the evidence.
“We do not believe there has been a delay. Certain actions were requested by the authorities and these were carried out. The file was submitted where it needed to be submitted and instructions were given for the evidence to be reassessed,” he said.
Emergency calls should be made through 112 or 199
The officer also clarified that the 1460 telephone line is primarily intended for complaints and public enquiries.
For emergencies, citizens should instead contact 112 or 199.
While acknowledging that periods of high call volumes can place pressure on staff, he said urgent incidents are prioritised and handled immediately when necessary.
Asiiikkis concluded by stressing that all fatal road collision investigations are ultimately submitted to the Attorney General for assessment and that police act in accordance with legal procedures and guidance from the Legal Service.
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