Vladimir Cepuljoski & Margarita Cepuljoska's Fatal Crash @ Gumball 3000 Rally (Aftermath)
- 7 months ago
On Wednesday, 02 May 2007, during a stage of the 2007 Gumball 3000 Rally nearly the small town of Struga, Lake Ohrid, territory of Macedonia, the Porsche 911 Turbo driven by Briton competitors Nicholas Morley, from Bowden, Cheshire, and co-driver Matthew McConville, from Prestwich, Greater Manchester collided with a by-passer Volkswagen Golf. Morley and McConville fled the scene of the accident instead of helping the occupants of the Volkswagen Golf. The elderly Macedonian man in the second vehicle, Vladimir Cepuljoski, 67 year-old died the following day at the Skopje Clinic Center due to heart attack, and also his wife Margarita Cepuljoska succumbed on Friday 04 May 2007 after suffering severe injuries.
The 2007 Gumball 3000 Rally was a 3000 miles supercar race across Europe from London to Athens and back. Rally organisers abandoned the event on 03 May 2007 in Bratislava, following the accident.
Nicholas Morley was set free on bail of £17,000 and handed his passport to return home. He was requested to return to Macedonia if a court called him to attend in the future; however during that time the second fatality was confirmed by the hospital and so he was arrested again the next day in Skopje, while boarding a private jet. After this second arrest, he was detained in custody until the trial
In court the prosecution alleged a speed of 161 km/h (100 mph) while the defense opposed this by saying that the speed of the incoming vehicle was not taken into account and that his driving speed was only 70–75 km/h.
After the conviction verdict, Nicholas Morley released a statement detailing its own expert's findings, which contradict those of the prosecution's expert. The statement also claims that the defence were denied the opportunity to present their expert's findings, which could contravene article 6 of the European convention on human rights, the right to a fair trial.
Nick Morley spent 40 days in a Macedonian prison, was convicted, received a two-year suspended sentence, and returned to England.
R.I.P
The 2007 Gumball 3000 Rally was a 3000 miles supercar race across Europe from London to Athens and back. Rally organisers abandoned the event on 03 May 2007 in Bratislava, following the accident.
Nicholas Morley was set free on bail of £17,000 and handed his passport to return home. He was requested to return to Macedonia if a court called him to attend in the future; however during that time the second fatality was confirmed by the hospital and so he was arrested again the next day in Skopje, while boarding a private jet. After this second arrest, he was detained in custody until the trial
In court the prosecution alleged a speed of 161 km/h (100 mph) while the defense opposed this by saying that the speed of the incoming vehicle was not taken into account and that his driving speed was only 70–75 km/h.
After the conviction verdict, Nicholas Morley released a statement detailing its own expert's findings, which contradict those of the prosecution's expert. The statement also claims that the defence were denied the opportunity to present their expert's findings, which could contravene article 6 of the European convention on human rights, the right to a fair trial.
Nick Morley spent 40 days in a Macedonian prison, was convicted, received a two-year suspended sentence, and returned to England.
R.I.P