Serbian Internal Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic said that the suspect in the hit-and-run incident involving a female student in Belgrade was located within 15 minutes of the event.
He noted that this individual has a criminal record, having been convicted seven times for various offenses.
According to a press release, the minister said that police officers found the vehicle involved in the incident within 10 minutes after the driver fled the scene. Five minutes later – 15 minutes post-incident – the police apprehended the driver of the Ford and two individuals who were in the car with him, one of whom is a minor, Dacic said.
“They were immediately taken to the police station, and the driver, identified as M.P. (1987), was arrested and detained. He will be promptly handed over to the relevant prosecutor for further action, while the crime has been classified as aggravated attempted murder,” the press release said.
It was also noted that the suspect has a history of committing various crimes, with seven prior convictions.
The 20-year-old law student who was struck by a Ford Focus during a traffic blockade in downtown Belgrade was admitted to the Emergency Center with serious injuries. The Clinical Center reported that she is conscious and in stable overall condition.
Students across Serbia have been staging protests and traffic blockades for weeks to demand accountability for the November 1 incident in Novi Sad, where a concrete awning at the city’s recently renovated train station collapsed, killing 15 people and severely injuring two others.
