Mother smuggles teen involved in fatal crash to US

ANKARA

A 17-year-old teenager involved in a fatal accident has been smuggled to America by his mother, a known writer, following the car crash that claimed one life and left several others injured.

Eylem Tok, the mother of the teenager, accompanied her son as they departed for Egypt on March 1, the night of the crash that occurred in Istanbul's Eyüpsultan district. The incident involved a group of five friends traveling on ATV-type vehicles when a luxury jeep collided with them.

Reports indicate that one of the vehicles malfunctioned, forcing the group to pull over. It was during this time that the 17-year-old crashed into them, causing significant injuries. Oğuz Murat Avcı, one of the individuals involved in the accident, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, while four others remain hospitalized, with one in critical condition.

Authorities first initiated the process to request the extradition of the teenager from Egyptian judicial authorities after it was confirmed that they had fled to Egypt.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç then announced via X late on March 7 that Türkiye had sent a provisional arrest request for the extradition of both the mother and son to the United States, where they were reported to have headed after leaving Egypt.

The request was made through diplomatic channels as well as Interpol, the minister said.

In a written statement prior to the extradition request, Eylem Tok asserted, "My son has never had the idea of running away from accusations. We will return and surrender to justice."

Tunç has previously revealed that there is an ongoing investigation against the teenager's mother, suggesting her involvement in aiding the flight from justice. "The investigation is meticulously carried out by the chief public prosecutor's office in Istanbul," he wrote.