traffic - Arrest for alleged racing with two fatalities
After a suspected race resulting in two deaths at Unna, the police arrested a 39-year-old man in the night. He is suspected of participating in the race, the police stated.
On a Wednesday evening, the driver of a sports car lost control on the A44 autobahn near Dortmund/Unna towards Kassel at high speed. The two passengers - a 20-year-old and a 52-year-old man - died.
The car was thrown off the road, plowed through several trees, and immediately caught fire, according to the Dortmund Police. The second car involved in the suspected race fled. "Numerous accident traces were spotted until early morning hours, which need to be evaluated - as well as data from the on-board electronics", a spokesperson said.
During the accident investigation, the A44 was temporarily closed in both directions. The on-ramp to the A1 towards Cologne was also affected. The stretch is now free again.
The arrested man is originally from North Rhine-Westphalia, the region where the accident occurred. The automatic transmission of the racing car failed, contributing to the loss of control. The police are increasing traffic patrols in Germany to prevent similar racecars incidents. Witnesses reported seeing two cars racing before the fatal accident.
