A dangerous driver has been jailed for more than 11 years after 20-month-old Finley Baker was killed when his family’s car was struck from behind at a Lincolnshire roundabout.
Hristo Iliev was driving a Volkswagen Passat when he approached slow-moving traffic on the A17 at the Holdingham roundabout and failed to stop in time.
His car crashed into the back of a Kia Ceed being driven by Finley’s mother, Chloe Baker, pushing it into an Audi A5 stopped ahead.
Investigators later established that electronic devices had been in use in the period leading up to the collision, with TikTok and Apple TV activity recorded for around seven minutes before the crash.
TikTok was active shortly before the collision and investigators found that a video was playing when the vehicles collided.
Iliev admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court to 11 years and three months in prison.
Finley suffered life-threatening injuries
Finley had been travelling home with his mother following an after-school club when the collision happened on 19 March 2025.
His eight-year-old brother was also inside the family’s Kia.
The force of the impact left several people injured and Finley unresponsive.
He was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries but, despite medical treatment, died two days later.
Finley’s mother and brother were also taken to hospital.
Chloe suffered a serious shoulder injury which subsequently required major reconstructive surgery.
The driver failed to react to traffic
Investigators examined Iliev’s electronic-device activity as they reconstructed what happened before the collision.
Evidence showed activity involving TikTok and Apple TV during approximately seven minutes leading up to the crash.
Investigators determined that Iliev was approaching the queue but failed to react to the stationary or slow-moving traffic ahead.
His Passat then struck the rear of the Baker family’s Kia, forcing it into the Audi in front.
More than 11 years in prison
Iliev, who was living in Boston, Lincolnshire, later pleaded guilty to causing Finley’s death by dangerous driving.
He was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court to 11 years and three months’ imprisonment.
The collision left Finley’s family without their 20-month-old son and caused serious injuries to his mother.
Finley was just 20 months old when he died.
I’ve changed the source headline slightly. “While TikTok was active” is legally safer and more precise than simply saying he “crashed while using TikTok”, because the supplied evidence refers to app/device activity and a video playing at the time of the collision.
