Friends Remember Driver Killed in Ambulance Crash Near Kudymkar
Friends and colleagues remember the driver of an ambulance that crashed near Kudymkar as a skilled auto mechanic and kind person.
Mar 11, 2026 0
The impact hit the front part of the ambulance, whose driver and three passengers died.
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On Friday, January 30, on the highway near Kudymkar (a town in Perm Krai, Russia), an ambulance crashed in a traffic accident. As a result of the collision with a foreign-made car, the driver of the medical vehicle and three of his four passengers died; they were returning from hemodialysis in Kudymkar to Karagay (a village in the same region). A 59.RU reader who had known him for a long time spoke about the deceased driver.
«I»ve known Sergey for a long time, probably 15 years. He worked at an auto repair shop, and I always got my car fixed by him. He would always chat, offer to have tea or coffee at his shop, and give a discount,« Sergey Kolyshkin told 59.RU.
According to the man, the ambulance driver lived in Karagay and was «already of advanced age.» He took this job as a side gig because his health didn«t allow him to regularly »turn wrenches« at the auto repair shop.
«He was a good man with golden hands, he had many friends. He drove excellently, one could learn a lot from him, he knew cars inside out,» recalls the 59.RU interlocutor.
Another person who knew the deceased driver wrote about him on his page on VKontakte and in the comments under news about the tragedy.
«Kingdom of heaven to my friend, the best auto mechanic in Karagay district, a good man with golden hands Sergey Astapov! My condolences, strength, health to Sergey»s relatives and the families of those who died with him,« wrote Andrey Podgorny. »An irreplaceable loss for Karagay. Kingdom of heaven, God«s servant Sergey! Your whole life was with cars and behind the wheel, and it ended behind the wheel! Bright memory!»
The head of the Ministry of Health of Prikamye, Anastasia Kruten, expressed condolences to the relatives and loved ones of the deceased. The Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case, and the head of the agency, Alexander Bastrykin, has taken control of its investigation.
Earlier, we reported details of the emergency from an eyewitness who was at the scene of the accident in the first minutes after the collision.
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