The court: The forester couldn’t help the fact that a tree fell over in Königsallee and killed a driver.
“There is no evidence of a breach of duty,” read the judgment of the Tiergarten District Court on Tuesday. District forester Emanuel G. (42) was on trial for negligent homicide.
On October 28, 2019, a 100-year-old Norway maple tree fell over when there was no wind and hit a jeep driving by. The driver (40) died, the passenger survived injured.
The tree had only been inspected by the forester nine months earlier. “There is no evidence that the forester should have seen the risk in January 2019,” said the magistrate.
After the accident, it turned out that the trunk was hollow inside, literally eaten up by the parasite fungus honey fungus, according to a process expert. This damage could have occurred in a short time.
The judge on the driver’s widower: “My heartfelt condolences, but you will not find a subjective culprit for the death of your wife.” The widower wants to challenge the acquittal.