Victim of road rage now deceased in hospital

On Sunday afternoon, July 2, a discussion will come about between the 72-year-old cyclist and a man on a speed pedelec in Veldegem, near Zedelgem. The man had gone cycling with his wife and was cut off by the man on the speed pedelec. “According to my client, the cyclist shouted ‘crazy’, after which an argument broke out between the two,” says Kris Vincke, who defends the man on the speed pedelec.

“Enormously affected”

During the argument, the cyclist must have ended up in the canal, where he sustained serious injuries and had to be taken to hospital. He passed away there today. “Of course my client is very affected by the news. He denies that he would have hit the man. According to him, they both ended up in the canal, but the cyclist’s wife denies that. It is a very sad fact,” says lawyer Kris Vincke.

The man on the speed pedelec had driven away after the incident, but the police were able to arrest him. He was brought before the examining magistrate on suspicion of assault and battery resulting in incapacity for work. He was later released on conditions.

Intentional assault and battery

Because the cyclist is now deceased, the original qualification of assault resulting in disability has been converted to intentional assault resulting in death. “There is no discussion about that,” says Master Vincke. “But my client never had the intent to injure, let alone kill. It remains to be seen whether that man’s death has a causal relationship to the fact that they both ended up in the canal that day.”

The public prosecutor’s office says that the final qualification will only be determined after further investigation. Patty ‘T Jonck, public prosecutor of West Flanders: “It is true that, if it occurs before the criminal court, a maximum sentence of five years can be claimed.”