The officer who caused a fatal collision with a motorcycle in Eindhoven in his police car last December drove through the built-up area at a speed of 129 kilometers per hour. This became known on Tuesday afternoon during the trial in which the 26-year-old officer from Eindhoven had to answer. A 31-year-old motorcyclist from Eindhoven died in the accident. The suspect was driving 100 kilometers per hour at the time of the collision. Although the officer had the right of way, he was driving far too fast and recklessly, according to prosecutors.
The accident happened on December 6 around noon on Dr. Cuyperslaan. The police car was on its way to an emergency call related to a stolen decoy bicycle. The car drove across Dr. Cuyperslaan when the motorcyclist drove onto that road from Woenselsestraat to cross. The engine was shoveled. The police car then drove partly on the left side of the road.
“It happened very quickly, this terrible accident,” said the officer, who was in the police car with a colleague. According to the suspect, there was sufficient reason to drive extra fast to track down an alleged thief of the decoy bicycle. “As we approached the intersection, we both shouted ‘motorcycle, motorbike’, but we had already hit him,” said the officer, sometimes sobbing, sometimes taking a break to tell his story.
The officer had priority, but he greatly exceeded the speed limit of 50 kilometers per hour. According to the public prosecutor, there was no necessary or urgent reason for this. The officer was driving 100 kilometers per hour during the collision. The judge referred to ‘enormous speeds’. The victim was driving less than 5 kilometers per hour.
The officer and his colleague tried to save the victim, but that quickly turned out to be in vain. The motorcyclist suffered serious brain damage and serious injuries to his knee and lower leg. “He cannot survive this blow,” a witness would later explain.
The officer, who has been employed since 2019, quickly expressed regret: “I was also shocked when I heard how fast I had been driving. This was really not good and should never have happened.”
Dozens of relatives and acquaintances of the victim are in the courtroom. The chairman of the court warned those present that it was a ‘very, very terrible event’ and that the treatment could stir up a lot of emotions. The suspect is also assisted by a number of people.
Fire brigade, police and ambulances were called in after the accident was reported:
Tags: Officer kills motorcyclist kilometers hour builtup areas
