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Prosecutors in Istanbul have completed the first investigation into the death of Oguz Murat Aci and prepared an indictment against five suspects, including the parents of the 17-year-old driver involved in the crash.
The indictment, prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, seeks prison sentences of up to 10 years for his mother, Eylem Tok, and father, Bulent Cihantimur, on charges of “destroying, concealing, or altering evidence” and “harboring a criminal.”
The document has been sent to an Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance for evaluation.
A separate investigation continues against the underage driver, Timur Cihantimur, on charges of causing death and injury by negligence.
The crash took place on March 1, 2023, in Istanbul’s Eyupsultan district.
According to the indictment, the vehicle driven by Timur Cihantimur struck three ATV vehicles that had stopped on the roadside due to a malfunction. Five people were injured, and Oguz Murat Aci later died.
Witnesses who were in the suspect’s car told prosecutors that he was driving fast and speaking on the phone while the vehicle was in motion. They said he lost control while overtaking another car.
The indictment states that after the crash, Eylem Tok arrived at the scene with Ayse Ceren Saltoglu and took her son and his friends away. Authorities did not conduct an alcohol test on the driver and did not take his formal statement at that stage.
Prosecutors also detailed allegations regarding a mobile phone belonging to one of the injured victims, Ibrahim Gumus. The phone was found at the scene and later left near the wall of the Kemer Country site.
According to the indictment, Eylem Tok and suspect Adem Kiziltepe retrieved the phone together. Prosecutors consider this act part of the alleged offense of destroying or concealing evidence.
Berna Ocalgiray faces a separate charge of destroying, concealing, or altering evidence, and prosecutors seek a prison term of six months to five years for her.
The indictment outlines what prosecutors describe as a coordinated effort to remove the driver from Türkiye after the crash.
According to camera footage cited in the file, Timur Cihantimur went to his family home after the incident. Bulent Cihantimur later arrived at the same address.
The suspects then left in separate vehicles. At one point, the teenager's luggage was transferred between cars, and he moved into his mother’s vehicle.
The indictment states that Eylem Tok, Timur Cihantimur, and Ayse Ceren Saltoglu traveled to the airport and left Türkiye for Egypt before continuing to the United States. They did not return.
Authorities later detained Timur Cihantimur and Eylem Tok in Boston. Both were extradited to Türkiye, and their trials continue.
Prosecutors rejected Bulent Cihantimur’s claim that he did not know the escape plan. The indictment argues that preparations at the same residence, joint departure, and the transfer of luggage contradict his defense.
If the court accepts the indictment, the suspects will face trial on charges related to evidence tampering and harboring a criminal, while proceedings against the underage driver continue under a separate file.
The crash occurred on March 1, 2023.
The car driven by 17-year-old Timur Cihantimur struck three ATV vehicles that had stopped due to a malfunction in Istanbul’s Eyupsultan district. Five people were injured, and 29-year-old Oguz Murat Aci later died.
Following the incident, prosecutors issued arrest warrants for Eylem Tok and Timur Cihantimur, alleging that Tok helped her son leave Türkiye shortly after the crash.
Authorities later located both in the United States. On June 18, 2024, Tok and Cihantimur appeared before a U.S. court and were taken into custody as judges began reviewing Türkiye’s extradition request.
In February 2025, a Massachusetts District Court approved their extradition to Türkiye. Both were subsequently returned, and judicial proceedings against them continue.
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