Drugged truck driver caused a catastrophe on the A4; 3 people died. He had no licence. PHOTOS

The incident occurred in March 2024 at the 117th kilometre of the A4 motorway, on the Wrocław–Legnica route, near Jarosław–Gościsław. According to the District Prosecutor’s Office in Jawor, the 31-year-old truck driver Sebastian S. from Ciechanów caused a catastrophe in which 3 people died and 5 others were injured, including 1 seriously. – The accused was driving after taking intoxicating substances and without a licence to drive heavy vehicles – explains prosecutor Liliana Łukasiewicz from the District Prosecutor’s Office in Legnica. – At the time of the incident, visibility on the road and weather conditions were good.

Details of the incident

Investigators:

On 17 March 2024, the driver of a Renault Trafic minibus was travelling to Germany with 7 passengers—4 women and 3 men. At one point, a tyre blew out, making it impossible to continue driving. The driver switched on the hazard lights, pulled the vehicle as close as possible to the right edge of the road, and then got out to check what had happened. He told the passengers not to leave the vehicle.

At that moment, a vehicle combination consisting of a Renault tractor unit and trailer collided with the stationary vehicle. The driver did not have time to put out a warning triangle.

They also add:

As a result of the incident, 3 passengers—2 women and 1 man—died at the scene from extensive head injuries. The other 4 passengers and the driver sustained injuries of varying severity. One of the injured people suffered, among other injuries, spinal damage resulting in paralysis of the lower limbs, which experts classified as severe disability causing permanent incapacity for work. The others suffered numerous fractures, including spinal fractures, resulting in impairment of bodily functions for more than 7 days.

The accused driver of the vehicle combination was driving without the required licence. His C+E driving licence category had expired almost a year earlier, on 13 May 2023.

Moreover, a toxicological report established that Sebastian S. was under the influence of amphetamine and cocaine at the time of the incident.

That is not all. Prosecutor L. Łukasiewicz:

From 29 February 2024 to 17 March 2024, Sebastian S., travelling in the aforementioned truck combination, repeatedly exceeded the maximum driving time without the required break and shortened his daily rest period. On the days immediately preceding the incident, namely from 14 March 2024, he exceeded the maximum driving time without the required break by 7 hours 4 minutes, 3 hours 22 minutes, 1 hour 30 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively. He also shortened the required rest period.

According to an expert opinion on the reconstruction of road accidents, the accused violated road-safety rules through his incorrect driving strategy. He created the situation that led to the accident. He had the opportunity to notice the minibus stopped in his path at the appropriate time and place. For unknown reasons, he did not take any action early enough. With proper observation of the road ahead, he could have avoided the accident. The incident occurred on a straight stretch of road, during the day and in good weather conditions. By using the correct driving technique, the accused would not even have needed to take evasive action, which could have created a danger to other road users. The condition of the vehicles had no impact on the incident.

S. did not admit to committing the offence with which he was charged and exercised his right to refuse to give an explanation. During the investigation, he was detained until 10 April 2024. He was then placed under police supervision, banned from leaving the country and required to post bail.

Prosecutor’s Office: – The investigation established that since 2012, while driving both passenger cars and trucks, he committed a total of 51 road-traffic offences. The offences concerned the obligation to wear seat belts, speeding, failure to use lights when required, violating the ban on using a telephone, overtaking at pedestrian crossings or immediately before them, and failure to comply with road signs and signals.

The accused faces up to 8 years in prison. The case will be heard by the court in Jawor.

(Header photo: KP PSP Środa Śląska).