On March 10, 33-year-old Thomas de G. from Zevenbergschen Hoek killed a father, mother and their two children on the A59 near Sprang-Capelle. On Tuesday he will appear before the judge in Breda and hear what punishment the justice department is demanding against him.
It was a Friday evening, shortly after nine o’clock. Thomas de G. had gone to a barbecue from work and was driving back home on the A59. He had had a bit too much to drink, but must have thought he was still okay.
Once on the highway, he pressed the accelerator of his Seat Leon Cupra all the way. He wanted to see how fast his car could go and filmed the speedometer with his phone. The video shows that he was driving faster than 250 kilometers per hour.
Near Sprang-Capelle, a father (46), mother (46) and their two children (13 and 10) were driving their Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid. They turned left to overtake a truck just as De G. came rushing towards it. And then things went wrong.
Can’t be saved anymore
The family’s car hit the guardrail and caught fire. Thomas de G. jumped out of his car to open the doors, but it was already too late. The entire car was on fire and the family could not be saved. The G. was pulled away from the burning wreckage. It became too dangerous.
How exactly the accident happened will probably become clearer during the hearing in the court in Breda on Tuesday. De G.’s car was not seriously damaged, the family’s car suddenly caught fire and a tailgate of the truck involved was loose on the roadside.
A total of four cars and one truck were involved in the accident. How could that tailgate come loose? And did the family’s car run over it and catch fire?
These are all questions that may be answered on Tuesday.