Dragan J. Vučićević knocks down a young woman on a pedestrian crossing in Žarkovo

Category: Above the law

Period: from 21 Nov 2023

Outcome: Indictment filed (as of 27 Jan 2025)

On 21 November 2023 in Žarkovo, Informer owner and editor Dragan J. Vučićević hit a young woman with his car on a pedestrian crossing; she sustained minor injuries. Vučićević admitted causing the crash, and President Aleksandar Vučić said the state authorities had done their job “in a professional manner”; according to Nova.rs, no drug test was carried out. At the end of 2024, the Second Basic Public Prosecutor's Office filed a summary indictment for endangering public traffic, but what happened after the hearing scheduled for February 2025 has not been made public.

Crash on a pedestrian crossing

In Žarkovo, at around 19h on 21 November 2023, the owner and editor of Informer, Dragan J. Vučićević, hit a young woman with his car at a pedestrian crossing on the corner of Ratka Mitrovića and Ace Joksimovića streets. She was taken to the Emergency Centre and sent home the next day to recover from minor bodily injuries. She has not spoken publicly.

Explanation, testing and detention

That same evening, Vučićević announced that he had caused the crash, that his breathalyser test was negative and that he took full responsibility. The next day he told Informer that he had looked away to change the radio station, and called claims that he had not helped and had shouted lies by “hate media”.

According to Nova.rs, no drug test was carried out. He was not placed in custody, which, according to Nova.rs and lawyer Ivan Simić, is usual when injuries are minor.

Vučić and the Interior Ministry

Two days after the crash, President Aleksandar Vučić said the state authorities had done their job “in a professional manner” and that reports that Vučićević had been drunk were “a pure lie”. The Interior Ministry did not answer Nova.rs's questions about the crash.

Prosecution and court

The Second Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade charged Vučićević with endangering public traffic, which carries up to three years in prison. According to Nova.rs, he did not appear for questioning scheduled for February 2024, and he was questioned on 21 March 2024. At the end of 2024 the prosecution filed an indictment motion, and the main hearing before the Second Basic Court was scheduled for 4 February 2025. What happened to the proceedings after that has not been made public.

Participants

Dragan J. Vučićević: On 21 November 2023 he hit a young woman with his car on a pedestrian crossing in Žarkovo and admitted causing the crash (responsible)
Aleksandar Vučić: He said the authorities had acted professionally and that the claim that Vučićević had been drunk was “a pure lie” (commented on the case)
Second Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade: It judged that Vučićević did not need to be tested for drugs after the crash in which a woman was injured (responsible)
Second Basic Court in Belgrade: It received a summary indictment for endangering traffic; a hearing was scheduled for 4 February 2025 (investigation and courts)
Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia: Vučićević was reportedly not tested for drugs after the crash, and the ministry did not answer journalists' questions (commented on the case)
Informer: It published his statement and an interview in which he says he took his eyes off the road for two seconds (commented on the case)