The Sofia City Court heard testimony from a witness to the crash that killed 14-year-old Filip Arsov on a pedestrian crossing. The hearing was the first substantive session since the previous panel of judges recused itself from the case. The other witnesses failed to appear at all — some had not been properly summoned, while others gave no valid reason for their absence. As a result, the court fined one of them €400 and ruled that if he fails to show up at the next hearing, he will be brought in by force. The defendant in the case is Petar Todorov. The incident occurred on September 2, 2023, on a pedestrian crossing in Sofia. This is the second time the case has reached the trial stage, after the previous panel withdrew from it in March of this year. The only witness who appeared, Alexander Gyurov, was questioned again by the new panel. However, he could not recall key details — the year and time of the crash, or whether there was a pedestrian-crossing sign at the location. The court therefore read out his testimony from an earlier hearing in order to compare it. Gyurov recounted that, just before the collision, a car appeared about 150 meters to the right of the intersection of Shishman and Gurko streets. From the sound of the engine, he judged that the car was accelerating, but he did not hear any braking. According to him, he first noticed the boy already on the crossing — walking straight ahead at a normal pace, without speeding up at any point. The witness believes the boy was wearing light-colored clothing, but noted he was not entirely certain given the time that had passed. The boy had passed the midpoint of the crossing, but before reaching the pavement, the car struck him with its front right side. He fell, and the car continued forward. Gyurov added that he did not notice the car moving erratically, and he could not remember whether its headlights were on or whether there was street lighting at the scene. After the hearing, Krasimir Arsov, the father of the boy who was killed, spoke to reporters. "We want harsh sentences for those who drive under the influence, speed, or fail to yield to pedestrians," he said. "We're not seeking justice — what justice can there be when your child is gone. We want this to stop happening from now on," Arsov added. He noted that the witness could not recall basic facts, but pointed out that three years have already passed since the incident. "If the witnesses are more responsible and show up, I believe their questioning will go quickly," Filip's father said. He added that the new panel is handling the case well. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 29.