A 26-year-old man in Turkey died by suicide after receiving a record traffic fine

A tragedy occurred in the Turkish province of Bilecik: 26-year-old Harun Ozkan (H.Ö.) died by suicide a few hours after receiving a hefty fine for a series of serious traffic violations.

According to sources, the incident began in the Pelitözü area, where gendarmerie officers tried to stop a car for an inspection. However, the driver ignored the order to «Stop», drove into the oncoming lane and attempted to flee. After a brief chase, he was detained near the village of Küçükyenice in the Gölpazarı district.

During the inspection, it was established that the man was driving despite not having a valid driver’s license. For the combination of violations, including disobeying a lawful order to stop and driving without a license, he was issued an administrative fine totaling 420,743 Turkish lira. The car was towed to an impound lot, and after the paperwork was completed, the man was released.

A few hours after returning home, Harun Ozkan went into his room. After hearing a gunshot, his mother called emergency services, but the medics who arrived could only confirm his death. According to the police, the young man shot himself with a hunting rifle. An investigation into the incident has been launched.

Local media note that this is one of the largest fines for such violations imposed in the region. At the same time, the official authorities did not directly link the fine to the cause of the suicide — the circumstances of the tragedy are still being clarified as part of the investigation.