The mechanic who sent the bus to the crossing where the accident occurred was arrested

YAROSLAVL, April 3 The Pereslavl district court of the Yaroslavl region ordered the detention for 2 months of a track fitter who sent a bus to a railway crossing near Yaroslavl , where a train crashed into it, killing seven people, the prosecutor's office of the Yaroslavl region reported.
“Taking into account the position of the representative of the prosecutor’s office, the Pereslavl District Court chose a preventive measure against the suspect in the form of detention until June 1, 2024,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

It is noted that the man is 54 years old.

According to the Northern Railway, on April 1 at 14.36 Moscow time, at a controlled railway crossing between the Shushkovo and Berendeevo stations in the Yaroslavl region, the bus driver drove onto the tracks in front of the approaching passenger train No. 15 on the Arkhangelsk — Moscow route. The train driver applied the emergency brake, but a collision could not be avoided. Seven people died in the accident — the bus driver and six passengers. All the dead are local residents.
The RF IC reported that as part of a criminal investigation under Part 3 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of traffic safety rules and operation of railway transport, resulting in the death of two or more persons through negligence), a track fitter acting as a duty officer at a railway crossing was detained . According to preliminary data, he turned off the automatic crossing barrier, freeing passage for the bus, although a train was approaching. A medical examination of the man showed that he was drunk. It was also noted that he admitted guilt.
On Wednesday, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation announced the initiation of a criminal case under Part 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (negligence) against officials of the Northern Railway. The foreman of the road linear section and the head of the Rostov-Yaroslavl route were detained. According to the Investigative Committee, a third-class track fitter was allowed to perform the duties of a railway crossing duty officer illegally — he was not trained for this.