For causing a serious accident on the Splitting in Emmen in September 2021, a 21-year-old man from Zwartemeer has been demanded community service of 200 hours. In addition, the man should be banned from driving for two years, eight months of which are conditional.
According to the public prosecutor, the accident was caused by ‘significantly careless driving’. According to him, the Zwartemeerder drove too fast and pulled the handbrake during the ride. This caused the rear wheels of the car to lock and it skidded to a stop against a tree. The co-driver from Zwartemeer sustained a collapsed lung, broken vertebrae and a shattered foot. The driver was slightly injured.
Both men had completed a working day. There was a need for snacks during the Friday afternoon drink. The twenty-something had not been drinking and was assigned to fetch the food. He got into a colleague’s car. Another colleague joined him. On the way they saw a girl running. There would have been waving and even honking. In addition, according to the prosecutor, the driver may have pulled the handbrake to act tough.
The suspect strongly denies. He can’t remember part of the accident. The man woke up on the roadside when the paramedics were working on him. Two witnesses told police they saw the car pass by. There were two boys who paid attention to the running girl. Suddenly the car skidded and hit a tree. According to witnesses, the handbrake had been pulled.
The police investigation showed that the handbrake of the collided car had indeed been applied. The suspect pointed towards his co-driver. “I didn’t pull the handbrake, then he would have done it,” the man told the judge. The investigation also showed that the man had driven at least 19 kilometers faster than the legal limit. That number is probably higher, is the conclusion of that report.
The twenty-something had his driver’s license in his possession for less than a week. The file shows that there is talk of a spirited driver, the judge told the suspect. His co-driver was heard in hospital. He said that before the accident the driver already pulled the handbrake and remarked: “This car slides less than the company bus”. The suspect also vehemently denies this.
At the beginning of this year, the Zwartemeerder was fined for speeding. “The road was clear, I was driving with my girlfriend. We listened to music and talked a bit. I didn’t really notice the speed because of that,” the man apologized to the judge. “His attitude in court will not help him. He does not take full responsibility,” said the prosecutor. He took the passage of time into account in his sentence.
The court will rule in two weeks.