Bolt Permanently Bans Driver After Fatal Crash Into Pedestrian Tunnel on Karavaevy Dachi

Tragedy in Kyiv

According to Главком: A devastating accident occurred in Kyiv on June 5, 2026, claiming four lives and injuring three others. The driver, 49-year-old Pavlo Pleshyvtsev, was behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz C300 and had an active Bolt account, completing a ride with a female passenger at the time of the crash. Traveling at high speed, the vehicle veered off the road and plowed into an underground pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Vadym Hetman and Ushynsky Streets in the Solomianskyi district.

Among the victims were:

• Two police officers from the Solomianskyi police department:
• 24-year-old Senior Lieutenant Dmytro Bondarchuk
• 21-year-old Lieutenant Denys Budchenko
• A 12-year-old boy named Hryhorii Hlushych

This tragedy marks yet another horrific loss for the community.

Bolt's Response

In the aftermath, ride-hailing company Bolt permanently deactivated the driver's account and revised its internal procedures for responding to reports of dangerous driver behavior. The company has maintained contact with the female passenger who was in the vehicle during the crash and is cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation unfolds. Bolt has also initiated discussions with government authorities to create a system for obtaining up-to-date information on drivers, while urging passengers to report speeding, traffic violations, or unsafe driving through the app or customer support.

Driver Pavlo Pleshyvtsev sustained injuries and was hospitalized. Investigators determined he lost control of the vehicle but was sober at the time of the accident. The Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office has launched a pretrial investigation under Article 286, Part 3 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Records show the vehicle had 39 traffic violations, most related to speeding. Throughout 2025, the driver was held administratively liable five times for speeding and other offenses. In March 2026, he was involved in a crash with no casualties.

On June 8, 2026, the Shevchenkivskyi District Court ordered the driver to be held in custody until August 3 without the option of bail. In a statement, Bolt expressed its condolences, saying:

“We are as shocked by this terrible tragedy as the public is.”

The driver, for his part, has stated he feels 'very guilty.'

The incident has sparked public outrage and raised serious questions about safety standards on ride-hailing platforms. A key concern is that the driver had a long history of traffic violations, casting doubt on Bolt's oversight of driver safety. The company's response to the crash and its proposed improvements to internal protocols could be critical steps toward preventing similar tragedies in the future.

This tragic incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding driver accountability in Kyiv. For instance, another case involved a driver with multiple traffic fines who was recently charged in a fatal crash. To learn more about the implications of reckless driving and the legal consequences that follow, see our report on a driver facing charges after a deadly accident involving numerous traffic violations.