A motorist from Tilburg caused an accident near Berkel-Enschot last November when he raced along the A65 highway at 205 kilometers per hour. He also had almost four times too much to drink and was driving very carelessly and inattentive when he crashed into another car. All this is reason for the court in Breda to impose 240 hours of community service on the 33-year-old man. He is also banned from driving for two years.
The driver was formally acquitted of causing serious bodily harm, but the complaints that the three occupants of the other car suffered from the accident must be taken seriously. All have barely been able to work since the accident, for physical or mental reasons.
‘Unsafe and anxious feeling’
One of them said during the trial that she found it ‘very intense’ to experience that she could no longer do anything at a young age. The idea that the man will ever be allowed to drive again also makes her feel unsafe and anxious. The court did decide that the Tilburg citizen will lose his driver’s license for another year if he makes the mistake again.
The accident happened on November 1. The exact circumstances were never investigated, but according to the court it was clear what had happened. The Tilburg citizen, who was driving a BMW, did not pay close attention, did not keep enough distance, drove more than 70 kilometers too fast and honked his horn on the A65. After narrowly passing another car, he collided with a Fiat at a speed of almost 205 kilometers per hour. The impact caused this car to land on the right emergency lane, then collide with a guardrail and come to a stop in the middle of the road.
Sincerely sorry
In its ruling, the court took into account that the man has not previously had to deal with the police or the judiciary and that he is working on the psychological problems he faces. It is also to his advantage that he has contacted the victims and that he has expressed sincere remorse. The Tilburg citizen is burdened by what he has caused, the judge states. For all these reasons, the court does not believe a prison sentence is appropriate. The period during which he has already had to surrender his driver’s license will also be deducted from the two years during which he is now prohibited from driving.
The public prosecutor had demanded a prison sentence of one year, and wanted the man to surrender his driver’s license for three years. The Tilburg citizen’s lawyer agreed that the man was seriously guilty of the collision.
After the accident was reported, emergency services responded en masse: