Istanbul teen severely injured after drunk driver crash; driver re‑arrested
On 30 June 2024 at about 22:55, a 19‑year‑old driver identified as Barış A. lost control of his car (plate 34 NPG 872) on Posta Caddesi in Başakşehir, Istanbul. The vehicle first struck parked cars and then collided with 24‑year‑old pedestrian Zahide Diyar Demirbaş, who was standing on the sidewalk.
Demirbaş suffered serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to Küçükçekmece Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Education and Research Hospital, where she was placed in intensive care and described as being in life‑threatening condition. Police and security‑camera footage confirmed the crash, and an alcohol test showed the driver had a blood‑alcohol level of 1.83 ‰. Family members reported the driver was travelling at very high speed, citing roughly 120 km/h and about 20 video recordings of the incident.
Barış A. was detained by police and initially released under judicial control. After the victim’s family appealed, the public prosecutor ordered a re‑examination, and a court subsequently ordered his imprisonment. The case has drawn public attention to reckless driving and alcohol‑related traffic violations in Turkey.