Dangerous driver who caused death of his wife and serious injuries to four others is jailed for more than 10 years
A man whose dangerous driving caused a collision in which his wife died has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.
Asen Kurtev was travelling towards Spalding on the A16 at 6.50am on 4 March last year when the Vauxhall Zafira he was driving collided with an oncoming Volkswagen Scirocco.
Kurtev, who was driving his wife and three colleagues to work, was running late when the collision occurred.
A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “Kurtev was sentenced after previously admitting one charge of causing death by dangerous driving and four charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following the two-vehicle collision between Kirton and Sutterton roundabouts.
“Kurtev’s driving led to the death of his wife who was in the front passenger seat and serious injuries to his three passengers in the rear of his vehicle. He also caused serious injuries to the driver of the oncoming Volkswagen.”
Police said Kurtev overtook other vehicles as he headed towards Spalding and then carried out a further overtake “colliding head-on with an oncoming Volkswagen”, despite the Volkswagen driver braking and steering to try and avoid them.
“The collision killed Kurtev’s wife, Sofka Mitkova, 39, and seriously injured his other three passengers, all of whom sustained multiple fractures, two of them requiring surgical interventions,” the spokesperson said.
“The driver of the Volkswagen also sustained multiple serious injuries in the collision including fractures and has since undergone surgery for his injuries.
“Following an extensive investigation by our Serious and Forensic Collision Investigation Units Kurtev was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and four offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Technical examinations of the vehicles found no defects that could have contributed to the collision.
“Witness evidence obtained in the investigation established that Kurtev had been driving erratically prior to the collision by overtaking multiple vehicles in heavy traffic and forcing his way through the traffic.”
On Thursday, June 26, Kurtev, 46, of Carlton Road, Boston, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court to 10 years 9 months imprisonment, having pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for a total of 12 years 2 months and must take an extended re-test before being allowed to drive again.