A driver "drunk as a lord" was heading towards a Belarusian long-haul truck driver near Tambov. The Belarusian tried to do his best, but was unlucky
To avoid a head-on collision, Aliaksei Surko swerved into the oncoming lane. In the same split second, the oncoming car returned to its own lane. The car driver died, 2.8 per mille of alcohol was found in his blood, and the court found the Belarusian guilty.
The fatal accident occurred late in the evening on February 8, 2025, near Tambov, Russia. Belarusian long-haul truck driver Aliaksei Surko was driving a DAF truck with a semi-trailer loaded with timber: the total weight with cargo was almost 40 tons.
Suddenly, he saw the headlights of an oncoming car, but at first, he didn't understand which lane it was in: the road at that spot had a bend. When about 200 meters remained, Surko realized that the oncoming "Lada Priora" was traveling at about 100 km/h in his lane. The Belarusian began to brake — his speed was about 40 km/h — and flash his high beams. There was no reaction; the oncoming car continued to drive in his lane.
Then Surko sharply swerved the steering wheel to the left to move into the oncoming lane and pass. But a fraction of a second later, the car sharply returned to its lane — right where the truck had already partially moved. A head-on collision occurred. The 39-year-old car driver, Kuzin, died on the spot.
Surko called 112. Medics found Kuzin had a closed head injury, multiple rib fractures, a fractured sternum, ruptured lungs and liver, and a fractured spine.
A forensic chemical examination of the deceased's blood showed 2.8 per mille — a severe degree of intoxication.
However, the Belarusian was still found guilty — in fact, the accident occurred in the Russian's lane. Although the "Lada" was at an angle at the moment of the accident, it had already managed to return to its lane.
But Surko crossed the solid line marking and drove into the oncoming lane. Allegedly, if the Belarusian had stayed in his lane, they would have passed each other safely.
As a result, the Tambov District Court found Surko guilty under Part 3 of Article 264 of the Criminal Code of Russia — violation of traffic rules, which, through negligence, resulted in the death of a person.
In December 2025, the Belarusian was sentenced to one and a half years in a penal colony conditionally with a probation period of one and a half years, so he did not end up behind bars. The widow of the deceased did not file a civil lawsuit.
Comments
1) У дым — разговорное выражение о сильном опьянении.
Пример: Напіўся ў дым.
2) Ушчэнт — полностью, до конца.
Пример: Напіўся ўшчэнт.
3)Як бэля — народный фразеологизм (быть пьяным як бэля — как беляк/стена).
Пример: Быў пьяны як бэля.