Metal fan Jim Drijkoningen (33) from Grote-Brogel crashed in Ellikom (Unknown)

There is great outrage on social media over the death of Jim Drijkoningen. “It’s just surreal from one moment to the moment it’s over” and “Mateke we are going to miss you.” Jim had a ton of friends and he was a big metal fan. “He was known and loved in the metal scene in Limburg. He had many musicians as comrades and he also knew their followers,” says his comrade Rob Vekemans. “We know each other from going out, we grew up together. Every year we met at Graspop. Jim was an aid worker in the Red Cross tent and I worked security there.”

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Jim Drijkoningen, a truck driver by profession, had a tough and rugged appearance with striking piercings and tattoos. “He was rude to his friends, but he had a gingerbread heart. We knew him that way and he was always very funny and witty. You’re welcome too,” says Rob.

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Little Bear

In the early afternoon, family and friends arrived at the scene of the accident. Jim Drijkoningen comes from Ellikom. A former sweetheart came to place a bear at the fatal spot.

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“This is hitting hard. So unexpected. Oh Jim was a real bon vivant… a glass of whisky, a cigar, but also a childhood friend. In the photo he is with my sister’s child,” Cindy smiles through her tears. They’ve been separated for a while, but things are still tough. “They know Jim everywhere. He went to a lot of American car meetings and festivals.” During the day, Jim’s friends came to lay more flowers at the scene of the accident.

Accident

The news of the accident shocks everyone who knows him. During the night from Monday to Tuesday, the driver drove towards Peer. He lives in Grote-Brogel.

According to the initial findings, the car hit the central reservation at the exit to the Betonweg in Ellikom. This caused the vehicle to become out of control.

On the slight descent to the A-beek valley, the car started to swerve across the width of the road and hit two lighting poles. The impact caused the car to land on its roof and the driver was thrown from the vehicle. Some motorists who were passing by at the time of the accident immediately offered help and closed the road with their car.

Resuscitation

The heavy blow also woke up residents along the Grote Baan. They called the emergency services. Ambulance Ambuce Peer, the mosquito team from Overpelt and a rescue team from Bree rushed over. “The victim was lying under the lighting pole. We freed the man and performed CPR,” says fire officer Koen Maes of the North Limburg zone. The victim died at the scene of the accident.

The regional road N73 between Bree and Peer was closed to through traffic. Police Carma made the findings of the accident. An expert also came to determine the precise circumstances. According to police, the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. Police provided assistance to the victim’s family.

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Reconstruction

The N73 regional road has been completely rebuilt since last year and equipped with separate cycle paths. The thick trees along the road were cut down. The road surface was renewed along the entire length of Peer-Bree with a new layer of asphalt. Local residents have heard that higher speeds have been achieved since the reconstruction. The police are conducting further investigations into the cause of the accident.