For causing a serious accident on the N34 near Gasselte, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) has imposed a hundred hours of community service against a man from De Punt. He collided with an oncoming vehicle on 11 May 2020, which caused broken bones, a brain contusion and bruises to his heart and lungs. The perpetrator also suffered a brain contusion.
The 59-year-old man stated after the accident that he did not feel well while driving and had fallen away for a while. His company bus ended up unnoticed on the wrong side of the road, causing the accident. The impact caused the commercial vehicle to overturn. The car he was driving ended up on the roof. Both drivers were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The man from De Punt was examined after his statement to find out what happened to him while driving, but the two doctors who did that came to different conclusions. One suspects that he has had an epileptic seizure. But the man had never had that before and not after the accident. The other doctor thought it was too low blood pressure.
The lawyer, the man from De Punt, has urged the Public Prosecution Service to dismiss the case. The Public Prosecution Service did not agree. The officer doubts the man’s story that he would not have become well. He feels that his story is not sufficiently supported by the conclusions of the medical studies.
The man has never been convicted before and after the accident he lost his driver’s license for a long time. That is why the officer today no longer demanded a driving ban in addition to the community service. His lawyer also thinks the required community service is too high and argued for a lower sentence.
The court will rule in two weeks.