A7 manhole cover throwers go to prison
In the summer of 2022, three teenagers steal two manhole covers and throw them off a bridge onto the A7. A manhole cover smashes the windshield of an approaching car, the occupants suffer life-threatening injuries. The Hildesheim Regional Court now delivers its verdict.
More than a year after two manhole covers were thrown onto the A7 in Lower Saxony, the Hildesheim Regional Court has sentenced two defendants to several years' imprisonment. The court found the men guilty of attempted murder, among other things, and imposed a juvenile sentence of six years and three months on a 19-year-old. A 22-year-old received a juvenile sentence of five years. Another 19-year-old defendant was sentenced to a two-year juvenile sentence for aiding and abetting attempted murder, which was suspended.
All three were also convicted in connection with dangerous bodily harm and dangerous interference with road traffic. The 22-year-old was also disqualified from driving for two years. The proceeds of 6,200 euros from the auction of the defendant's car will be confiscated. The verdict is not yet final. Both the main hearing and the pronouncement of the verdict were not public. The two defendants sentenced to prison terms are still in custody.
According to the indictment, the two main defendants each threw a heavy manhole cover from a bridge over the A7 near Hildesheim at night in August last year. One of the projectiles smashed through the windshield of a car, seriously injuring the two occupants. The second cover hit the road and damaged several cars driving over it. The co-defendant is accused of accompanying the main perpetrators.
The investigation into the case lasted for months. Initially, a 50-year-old man living nearby was considered a suspect and was temporarily remanded in custody. Further investigations later revealed that he was not the perpetrator. The two young main suspects were then arrested in April. According to the police and public prosecutor's office at the time, the car used in the crime was one of the things that led them to their trail. The vehicle had been seen both at the scene of the crime and during the previous theft of the manhole covers.
The international news surrounding the incident in Hildesheim highlights the seriousness of criminal acts, as three individuals are facing prison sentences for their involvement in the manhole cover throwings on the A7 freeway. Their actions led to attempted murder and dangerous interference with road traffic, with the 19-year-old receiving the longest sentence of six years and three months.
The impacts of this crime on the local community extend beyond Hildesheim, with international news platforms covering the story and highlighting the importance of upholding traffic safety regulations, even outside one's own country.
Source: www.ntv.de
