Car racing trial - Defendant confesses to fatal escape from police
A man admitted responsibility for his friend's death during a police chase in the northwest of Lower Saxony. It's tragic that his friend had passed away after hitting a tree, the defendant stated at the beginning of the trial at the Westerstede Magistrates' Court. "F**k, that's all I could think about afterwards," the 23-year-old said. "I was on the ground." The public prosecutor accuses the defendant of unlawful racing resulting in death, but also theft, fraud, endangering road traffic, and fleeing the scene of an accident.
The defendant confessed to breaking into a company in late September under the influence of alcohol and drugs and stealing a car. He had picked up his friend with the car, filled up in Oldenburg without paying, and continued driving. During the police chase, he had accelerated to over 200 kilometers per hour at times and ended up in a ditch.
To fully evade capture, he continued driving at up to 160 kilometers per hour after the accident, the defendant stated. His friend had encouraged him to keep going. "He kept urging me to go on," the defendant of Turkish descent said. He lost control of the car in a curve between Oldenburg and Bremen, veered off the road, and collided with a tree. His friend in the passenger seat did not survive the accident. The defendant himself sustained several cuts and had broken his little finger. He had lost his driver's license years ago due to drug use. Additionally, he admitted to three other burglaries. A verdict could be handed down on Monday (11.30 am).
- The police chase that led to the fatal accident occurred in the northwest region of Lower Saxony, specifically near the city of Westerstede.
- The car involved in the high-speed pursuit was initially stolen from a company in Oldenburg after the defendant broke into the premises under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
- The local court in Westerstede is currently handling the processes related to the defendant's numerous charges, which include unlawful car racing resulting in death, as well as theft, fraud, endangering road traffic, and fleeing the scene of an accident.
- The public prosecutor's office in Germany has accused the defendant of engaging in dangerous car racing and causing his friend's death during the police chase.
- While admitting to his involvement in several crimes, the defendant shared his remorse over his friend's death during the trial, stating that he thought only of expletives after the accident and felt helpless upon hitting the ground.
- The defendant's history of reckless behavior extends beyond this incident; he previously lost his driver's license due to excessive drug use and confessed to participating in three additional burglaries.
