Driver to stand trial in reopened case of fatal 2020 crash involving 14-year-old Tamar
A 33-year-old driver will face trial for a 2020 traffic accident that killed 14-year-old Tamar from Marken. After her parents challenged the initial penalty, new evidence led prosecutors to pursue charges for fatal negligence and leaving the scene.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Victim | Tamar, 14, from Marken |
| Date of accident | July 25, 2020, ~3:00 AM |
| Initial penalty (2021) | €1,500 for insufficient attention to the road |
| Suspect’s age | 33 (at time of trial) |
| Charges | Involvement in fatal traffic accident; leaving the scene |
| Other occupants | Not prosecuted (no criminal involvement) |
| Investigation reopening | Ordered by Court of Appeal (October 18, 2022) |
| Next step | Public trial; date pending |
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) oversees criminal investigations and decides whether to prosecute suspects in the Netherlands. In this case, the OM initially issued a penalty but later reopened the investigation after a formal complaint from the victim’s family, highlighting its role in ensuring justice.
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Driver of car to face trial after additional investigation into fatal traffic accident in Zuiderwoude in 2020
The (reopened) investigation into the traffic accident in which 14-year-old Tamar from Marken lost her life has been completed. The fatal traffic accident occurred on July 25, 2020, just after 3:00 AM. The additional investigation into what happened before, during, and after the accident has resulted in the decision that the now 33-year-old driver of the car must stand trial on suspicion of involvement in a fatal traffic accident and leaving the scene of the accident. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) considers it important that a judge reviews the case and delivers a judicial ruling. The other occupants of the car will not be prosecuted as, in the OM’s view, they had no criminal involvement in the accident.
Reopening of the investigation
In August 2021, the OM issued the driver of the car with a penalty order of €1,500. According to the OM, he had not paid sufficient attention to the road and was therefore unable to react in time to the fact that Tamar was on the road. The girl’s parents disagreed with this decision by the OM. Their lawyer therefore filed an Article 12 complaint to demand prosecution for, among other things, causing a fatal traffic accident and leaving the scene of the accident. In response to the complaint, the OM re-examined the case. This revealed that there were still questions about what happened on the night of the traffic accident. The OM therefore decided that the case should be reopened. The OM then requested the Court of Appeal on September 8, 2022, to grant the complaint in order to conduct additional research under the supervision of the investigating judge. On October 18, 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered the OM to prosecute and involve the investigating judge in the investigation. The investigation was reopened and continued under a new investigative team, which had already been assembled under the leadership of a different public prosecutor.
Investigation: What happened that night
The additional investigation focused on what happened to Tamar that night. Forensic research included DNA analysis, pathological examination, and traffic technical investigation. Now that the investigation has been completed, the bereaved family has been informed of the results. The suspect has also been informed of the prosecution decision through his lawyer. The OM has requested the court to schedule the case for a hearing. Since the OM considers it important that the trial takes place in public, where the suspect will answer to the judge and the court will ultimately deliver its ruling on the case, the OM will not at this time provide further details about the specific findings of the investigation. These will be discussed in detail during the hearing. The hearing date has not yet been set but is expected to take place within the next few months.