A 29-year-old man from Noordscheschut has been sentenced to eight months in prison for causing a serious accident in Hoogeveen during street racing. A 23-year-old man from Dwingeloo was sentenced to twelve months in prison for his part, four months of which were suspended.
The court found that both were guilty of reckless driving. This is the most serious form of guilt in a traffic offence. Both men drove through Hoogeveen at high speed on March 20, 2021. They had already met each other on the A28 near Fluitenberg and followed each other through Hoogeveen.
Things went very wrong at the intersection on Boekweitlaan. A car wanted to cross and should have given way. Due to the high speed, he noticed the other cars too late. The car was shoveled and the driver ended up with brain injuries and broken bones in the intensive care unit of the hospital.
According to witnesses, there was a race. The two cars drove at high speed, tailgating and overtaking each other through the center of Hoogeveen. The impact sent debris flying through the air. A cyclist was hit by this. The man is still struggling with a paralysis in his left foot.
The traffic investigation shows that the man from Hollandscheveld was driving at least 104 kilometers per hour at the time of the collision, where 50 is permitted. The camera images also showed that the two cars raced through Hoogeveen. The man from Dwingeloo took off after the collision. He was also punished for that. He was sentenced to two weeks in prison for driving without insurance.
The judge finds that both are guilty of very antisocial driving behavior, putting other road users in great danger. The men were only concerned with themselves and not with others around them in traffic. “It is a miracle that there were no deaths,” said the judge. In view of all this, the court does not want both men to enter motorized traffic for the time being.
Both were banned from driving for three years, one year of which was conditional. During the probationary period, the Dwingelder must follow behavioral training. The punishment is in accordance with the requirement of the Public Prosecution Service.