But Z. goes much faster than expected: instead of the permitted 50 kilometers per hour, he drives between 72 and 79, research shows. He also drives ‘antisocially’ before that, according to a witness from the car behind Z. He honks when the suspect turns towards Plesmanweg without indicating, whereupon Z. accelerates hard.
A few moments later, Sien crosses the road. Z. tries to swerve, but still hits her. “I can’t get that image out of my mind,” Z. says, stammering. Shortly after the accident, he was diagnosed with PTSD. He also loses everything in the aftermath: his job, house and girlfriend.
“If you had acted differently, I would have wanted to talk.”
When Sien’s father is allowed to speak, he says he struggles with the victim’s attitude and feelings: “I am forgiving by nature, but how far does my mercy extend?” he asks rhetorically. “Mr. Z. played with matches. And anyone who gets burned must sit on the blisters. The real victim is Sien. She paid the ultimate price.”
Sien’s mother has ‘nothing good to say’ about Z.. She would have liked to have a conversation, but found no starting points for it. “My life is in a thousand pieces,” she says. “There is nothing to show that you wanted to help us. Your attitude in traffic, your absence at the preliminary court hearing and you remember nothing. If you had acted differently, I would have wanted to talk to you.”
No driver’s license for 2 years
The public prosecutor also considers Z. responsible for Sien’s death. Today he is demanding a prison sentence of six months, two of which are conditional. The officer also wants the Eindhoven resident not to be allowed to drive for two years.
Z. may have been driving on a priority road, the officer argues, but according to the officer he should have been more careful at the intersection: he should have tried to prevent the accident.
In addition, telephone records show that Z. was on his phone in the car until just before the accident, including on Snapchat. The officer: “Maybe that didn’t directly lead to the accident, but maybe that’s why you missed the 50 signs.”
According to Z.’s lawyer, his client can only be blamed for driving too fast, but no one can be blamed for the fatal outcome. He asks for an acquittal. The judge will make a ruling in two weeks, on February 16.
