On the morning of Friday, August 2, the 75-year-old man unsuspectingly drives his Opel along Schutboomsestraat in Milheeze. He has no chance when he is suddenly struck from behind by a car. He dies almost immediately. The driver of the other car is a 21-year-old man from Portugal, who is seriously injured.
When the police arrive on the scene, it soon becomes clear that this is not just an accident. There is strong evidence that the cause of the collision intended to take his own life. This includes a statement from the defendants ex-girlfriend. Later, police find messages on the defendants phone indicating that he indeed wanted to end his life. Further investigation reveals that there must have been enormous speed at which the collision occurred. Technical research later shows that the car was traveling at over 170 km/h just before the accident, while a maximum speed of 80 km/h applies at the accident site.
Technical Investigation
The police conducted extensive technical and tactical investigations, resulting in a clear picture of the accident and what preceded it. Technical research shows that the BMW that crashed into the victims car was not braking and struck directly from behind. Just before the accident, the driver also exhibited extraordinarily noticeable and dangerous driving behavior, as testified by several witnesses. A reconstruction of the vehicles speed was shown during the hearing.
Severity
During todays hearing, the prosecutor elaborated on the seriousness of the case: Factually, the defendant made the most reprehensible decision imaginable, and that decision has been fatal for an innocent man. It has caused immense grief and suffering for his relatives. Based on the investigation, the Public Prosecution Service believes there is a case of manslaughter. With his suicide attempt, it can be proven that the defendant also intended to cause the victims death. The Public Prosecution Service demands an eight-year prison sentence for the defendant and a driving ban for ten years.
If you are thinking about suicide or are worried about someone, talking about suicide helps and can be done anonymously via the chat at www.113.nl or by calling 113 or 0800-0113.