The family of 20-year-old Aki Karachristou from Agrinio is in deep mourning following his tragic passing in a car accident on the national road between Antirrio and Ioannina at the Great Chora junction on Saturday night.
Riding alongside Aki was his 18-year-old sister, who is fighting for her life in the hospital.
On Saturday night, the family learned that their son was deceased, and with the support of relatives and doctors, they are trying to cope with their grief while hoping for a miracle for their daughter, who, according to reports, is brain dead.
Aki was the eldest of four children in the family living in the Lefkas settlement in Agrinio. Reports indicate that Charitini, his sister, is a talented track and field athlete with many accolades.
An eyewitness described the immediate aftermath of the accident:
The Site of the Accident:
Friends are leaving flowers at the site where Aki lost his life.
Roma Arrested in Connection with the Accident
A strong police presence was deployed to Agrinio Hospital yesterday due to fears of unrest, as the passengers of the car involved in the accident were also taken there for medical examinations. The driver, who is reportedly responsible for the fatal crash, is of Roma ethnicity.
Following the incident, the 37-year-old driver was arrested and is currently in custody. The traffic police are investigating whether there was a traffic violation, given that it is a junction with traffic lights. Reports indicate that the driver’s family, including his 33-year-old wife and their two minor children aged 17 and 11, were also in the car. A case has been filed against him for involuntary manslaughter and bodily harm.
How the Accident Happened
The tragic accident occurred last night at the Great Chora junction on the Antirrio-Ioannina national road. A severe side-impact collision took place between the passenger car driven by the Roma and the motorcycle carrying the two siblings. The car was crossing the national road when it was struck by the motorcycle heading towards Amfilochia.
Police Statement
The Agrinio Traffic Police have opened a case file regarding the fatal accident that occurred last night on the Antirrio-Ioannina National Road.
Specifically, a 20-year-old man riding a motorcycle with an 18-year-old passenger collided side-on with a car driven by a local man, who had his wife and two minor children as passengers.
The collision resulted in the death of the 20-year-old motorcycle rider, serious injuries to the 18-year-old, and minor injuries to the occupants of the car.
The injured 18-year-old is being treated at Agrinio General Hospital.
Police are investigating to determine the causes and circumstances of the accident, while the driver of the car has been arrested for involuntary manslaughter.
On Saturday night the family was informed that their 20-year-old son was dead and around midnight, doctors told them that there was no hope for their 18-year-old daughter as she was brain dead.
The wailing of the relatives shocked those in the nursing unit. The family’s pain is unimaginable as they now have to deal with the loss of two young children.
However, a strong police force remains at Agrinio Hospital for fear of incidents as the passengers of the car, whose driver is allegedly responsible for causing the accident and is a Roma, were also transferred there for medical examinations.
The 37-year-old driver was subsequently arrested and detained while traffic police were being asked to determine if there was a traffic violation, as this is a traffic light intersection.
