Fatal traffic accident
Eight-year-old was killed: Man is said to have deliberately captured a group of children in northern Hesse
Hessen, Witzenhausen: After an accident at the end of October, a black VW Polo stands in front of a daycare center in the Gertenbach district
© Swen gatekeeper / DPA
A car drives into a group of school children. One girl dies, two more are seriously injured. What initially looked like an accident could have been deliberate. Among other things, a testimony ensures the turning point in the case.
After the fatal collision of a car with a group of school children in northern Hesse, the investigation is no longer for an accident, but for murder. There is a suspicion that the driver deliberately steered the car into the group, the public prosecutor and police announced on Monday. The 30-year-old has meanwhile been placed in a psychiatric hospital. There are suspicions that he “suffers from a considerable psychiatric illness and, according to the current state of knowledge, this could have been the cause of the decision to act,” the investigators reported.
The 30-year-old Turkish national is said to have driven a car into the group of schoolchildren on a sidewalk in front of a daycare center in Witzenhausen on Friday. An eight-year-old girl died of serious injuries in the hospital a few hours later. Two girls, ages seven and eight, were seriously injured.
Investigator: Testimony makes events appear “in a completely different light”
The investigators had initially assumed an accident, initially they had no evidence of intent. In the course of further investigations, however, a previously unknown witness came forward, it said on Monday. His information let the event appear “in a completely different light”. This and the preliminary opinion of an expert led to the reassessment of the case, as a spokesman for the Kassel public prosecutor explained.
Now, according to the public prosecutor and the police, there is “an urgent suspicion that the 30-year-old made an active steering movement in the direction of the elementary school pupils and consequently deliberately caused the death of a child and the injury of several children”. There are no indications of an extremist or terrorist background. The investigation is on suspicion of attempted and completed treacherous murder, dangerous bodily harm and dangerous interference in road traffic. The 30-year-old is said to have spoken of a “blackout” during his interrogation.
Witzenhausen’s mayor Daniel Herz (independent), who used to work for the criminal investigation department, called the police and the public prosecutor’s office that afternoon. “The mood in town has been very depressing since Friday, regardless of whether it was an accident or intent,” said Herz of the German press agency. The phrase in the case is “surprising”. Most citizens would have assumed “that there is something medical behind it”. However, there were probably no skid marks.
Other investigations in the case include the analysis of a blood sample from the 30-year-old for possible substances such as drugs, alcohol or medication. In addition, there will be the question of his culpability.
The fatal car ride from Witzenhausen recalls several incidents in the recent past in which pedestrians were hit by cars and died or suffered injuries. The suspected car attack on the Rose Monday procession in Volkmarsen in northern Hesse in February 2020 caused horror. A 31-year-old is said to have intentionally driven into the crowd. 90 people suffered some serious injuries. In total, the public prosecutor’s office assumes that more than 150 people have been affected. The 31-year-old German is currently on trial, including attempted murder.