A man from the UK has been sentenced to more than a decade in prison after causing a fatal accident while watching TikTok videos behind the wheel. The tragic incident led to the death of a toddler in another vehicle.
Hristo Iliev received a prison sentence of 11 years and 3 months on June 11, following his involvement in the death of 20-month-old Finley Baker in March 2025. The sentencing was announced by Lincolnshire Police in an official statement.
Hristo Iliev Accused of Causing Fatal Crash That Killed Finley Baker
The accident occurred on March 19, 2025, around 4:45 p.m. Iliev was driving a Volkswagen Passat and approached a line of slow-moving traffic at a roundabout. According to police reports, Baker was in the backseat of a stationary Kia, which Iliev collided with from behind, propelling the Kia into another vehicle.
As a result of the crash, Finley Baker sustained severe injuries and tragically passed away two days later. His mother, Chloe Baker, also suffered significant injuries, including major shoulder damage that required extensive reconstructive surgery.
While tests confirmed that Iliev was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, phone records revealed that he was watching a TikTok video just moments before the crash, as confirmed by the police investigation.
Additionally, the phone had been used to access both TikTok and an Apple TV application in the seven minutes before the crash and evidence suggested he had played and downloaded video content.
“This collision was due to the dangerous driving of Iliev when he selfishly paid no attention to his driving as he watched videos on his devices,” Detective Sergeant James Perring remarked. “Those actions cost a young toddler his life and seriously injured another, destroying lives in a way which can never be undone.”
Perring added that the incident underscores the dangers of distracted driving.
“This was a wholly preventable collision, and I feel nothing but disappointment for the way he has so pointlessly destroyed lives,” he said. “I would implore anybody thinking of behaving in the same way never to do so.”
Hristo Iliev Pleads Guilty to Dangerous Driving
Investigators concluded that Illiev—who police said had received previous fines for speeding and using his phone while driving—had been solely responsible for the crash.
He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and serious injury by dangerous driving, according to the statement from police.
In addition to the prison sentence, Illiev has been banned from driving for nearly 11 years. He’ll be required to take an extended driving test before his license could be restored, authorities said.
In a victim impact statement, Baker’s mother described her son as her “beautiful baby boy” and said Illiev “stole his whole life” from the family.
“If only we had known his first birthday was the only one we would celebrate we would have filled it with bikes,” she said, per the BBC. “What happened on our journey home is something I will never get over.”