A man from Heesch drove approximately 200 kilometers per hour on the A50 highway in July 2022 and recorded the journey that ultimately cost the life of a woman who was in the car with him. This became known on Monday afternoon during a court case in Den Bosch. Here the 21-year-old man had to answer for the fatal accident.
The accident happened near Heeswijk-Dinther. The victim had a partner and was the mother of three young children. According to the public prosecutor, the man from Heesch drove recklessly. That is why he demanded ten months in prison. The driver would also have to surrender his driver’s license for four years.
The suspect came from a staff party on the evening of the accident, July 12, 2022. In the car with him were three female colleagues from a fast food chain. According to prosecutors, the driver saw a truck in front of him too late, tried to avoid it and then lost control.
The car then rolled over several times and eventually ended up in a dry ditch. One of the female occupants was thrown from the car. She died two days later in a hospital.
The driver reportedly made a video just before the accident. This shows, among other things, that more than 200 kilometers per hour were driven. According to the justice department, there are more videos showing the suspect filming behind the wheel and driving too fast.
“I want to say sorry to the family members. I hope they can forgive me.”
The man may also have had too much to drink. Two and a half hours after the accident, he was given a blood test. This showed that the alcohol percentage at that time was acceptable for a novice driver. During the hearing, the man admitted to having had two mixed drinks, a Flügel and a shot.
He couldn’t remember anything about the ride itself. The suspect was visibly emotional. “I want to say sorry to the family members. I hope they can forgive me.” It is still too early for the deceased woman’s partner. “It’s good that he was emotional and that it means something to him.”
“The morning after the accident, the children saw their mother lying there. How do you then tell them that mommy will never get better.”
The victim’s mother-in-law also made it clear that the woman’s death hit the family hard. She spoke of a nightmare. “The morning after the accident, the children saw their mother lying there. They were terrified and cried. How do you then tell them that mom will never get better,” said the woman who hoped that an appropriate punishment will be imposed. “And if you want to be as tough now as you were then, you accept the punishment you get.”
According to the justice department, it is clear that the man drove recklessly: “I want to make a statement that this type of dangerous behavior will not be tolerated. He must realize that this means that children aged 3, 10 and 13 and their partner now have to continue alone.”
The officer demands 10 months unconditionally and another six months if the man commits another crime. In addition, he would not be allowed to drive for four years. The court will give its ruling in two weeks.
In this video you can see images of the serious accident on July 12, 2022: