Killed a 6-year-old girl: ex-police officer in Pryluky left with 8 years imprisonment

The appellate court refused to soften the sentence for the former police officer who caused the fatal crash in Pryluky

In Chernihiv region, the appellate court upheld the verdict for a former police employee whose actions led to the death of a six-year-old girl and caused injuries to her mother. The convicted woman received eight years of imprisonment and a three-year ban on driving vehicles.

On 21 October 2026, the Chernihiv Court of Appeal reviewed the case of the fatal accident in Pryluky and left the first-instance court’s decision unchanged. The case concerns a crash involving an official police vehicle that resulted in the child’s death. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The tragedy occurred on 10 December 2025. That day the police officer was driving an official vehicle to a call related to another road traffic accident. While moving, she struck a 36-year-old woman and her six-year-old daughter, who were crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing.

The police vehicle had flashing lights activated. However, the driver did not turn on the special audible signal, did not reduce speed before the crossing, and did not yield to the pedestrians.

As a result of the collision, the girl sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. Her mother was taken to the hospital with bodily injuries.

On 4 August 2026, the Pryluky City District Court found the former police employee guilty under part 2 of article 286 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. She was given the maximum penalty provided by this provision — eight years imprisonment. The woman was also deprived of the right to drive vehicles for three years.

The defense sought to obtain a reduced sentence and requested a punishment that would not involve deprivation of liberty.

Prosecutors opposed this. The public prosecution at the appellate level was supported by Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Lohachov and the head of the Chernihiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, Serhii Deineka.

Following the appeal review, the appellate court agreed with the prosecution’s arguments. The eight-year prison sentence and three-year driving ban imposed on the former police officer remained unchanged.

Recall that it was previously reported that the former police officer who hit the six-year-old girl in Pryluky had been sentenced. The court found that the driver had the technical ability to avoid the collision if she had complied with the Traffic Rules.