Underage driver Ekehaar convicted of causing fatal accident. ‘Solely due to his reckless driving’

The suspect left the road near Ekehaar on August 29, 2023 around 1:30 am. There he crashed into a tree at high speed. The suspect and three passengers – friends and former classmates – were seriously injured in the accident. A fifth teenager, 14-year-old Jessy, died from her injuries.

Reckless driving

As announced during the substantive hearing, the court ruled earlier than after the usual fourteen days due to the high stakes in the case. According to the judges, the driver, who was 15 years old at the time, is guilty of causing the fatal accident. “Although it has been established that all five agreed to secretly get into the car at night, the accident is solely due to the suspect’s reckless driving. He drove at far too high a speed without experience.” The court therefore finds that the most serious form of guilt has been proven.

During the substantive hearing of the case, the boy admitted that he had often secretly driven his father’s car. “He was warned several times to stop, but he did not do so. We particularly blame the suspect for this.”

Higher punishment than demanded

The court finds that the suspect has caused irreparable harm with his reckless behavior. The teenager therefore deserves punishment. The Child Protection Council, which advises on punishment of minors, considers the risk of recurrence to be low. The boy comes from a stable family and regrets his action. They therefore do not believe that additional guidance from youth care is necessary.

Despite the seriousness of the facts, the court does not consider an unconditional prison sentence in a youth prison appropriate. The accident has a major impact on the boy mentally and physically. “He never wanted this. He also lost a girlfriend.” The court sentences the 16-year-old to 120 hours of community service, a conditional juvenile detention of six months and a driving ban of two years. “This means that he is not allowed to start driving lessons or drive a moped until he is 18.” The sentence is slightly higher than the demand of the Public Prosecution Service, which asked for a suspended prison sentence of 2 months.