Through his actions, he endangered not only them but also a mother passing nearby with her three-year-old son. Fearing that he might commit another crime, the court detained the man for three months.
The incident occurred on May 8, 2016, on Jaworzyńska Street in Legnica. After recently breaking up with Marcin K., the victim arranged to meet him to return items belonging to him. Fearing the suspect, she was accompanied by a friend.
While driving a Renault Megane to the meeting, Marcin K. saw his former girlfriend with her new partner. He suddenly drove across the median and onto the sidewalk, intending to run them over. The victims managed to jump out of the way. However, the car came close to hitting a woman walking nearby with her three-year-old son.
The suspect then got out of the car and attacked his former girlfriend’s boyfriend. He struck him several times, causing abrasions to the skin on his left hand, elbow and back. The injuries resulted in impaired bodily function for less than seven days.
Marcin K. was arrested and charged with exposing four people to an immediate risk of loss of life and with making criminal threats. To ensure the proper course of the proceedings, particularly to prevent unlawful influence on the content of witnesses’ testimonies and to prevent the suspect from committing further crimes against life and health, the prosecutor deemed it necessary to place Marcin K. in detention.
It was established that the suspect’s previous conduct indicates that he is impulsive and prone to violence. In April 2016, Marcin K. harassed his former partner with phone calls and, as recently, threatened her current partner.
On May 8, 2016, he acted on impulse. When the police officers arresting Marcin K. were told by him that something had come over him and that he wanted to run over the victims, this supports the conclusion that, if at liberty, he could unlawfully influence the testimony of witnesses who have not yet been questioned and of people who gave testimony unfavorable to him.
He could also commit further crimes against people’s health and lives, particularly against the young woman toward whom he bears a strong grudge because of the breakup. As established, the suspect had previously received psychiatric treatment. There are therefore justified doubts as to his sanity at the time of the alleged offense.
Marcin K. acted under the influence of irrational impulses, and his behavior is unpredictable. He tends to undertake actions that could lead to people’s deaths. It is therefore necessary to conduct psychiatric examinations to determine whether he acted for reasons with a psychotic basis or whether he is criminally responsible.
Until then, in the prosecutor’s opinion, Marcin K. should remain isolated. The District Court in Legnica shared this view. Questioned as a suspect, Marcin K. did not admit to committing the alleged acts and exercised his right to refuse to give explanations.
He faces up to three years in prison. The proceedings are ongoing.
Liliana Łukasiewicz, acting spokesperson for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Legnica/ii