Driver charged with manslaughter after bus accident leaving seven dead in Bavaria
The 24-year-old driver is alleged to have transported 22 refugees from Austria to Germany in a minibus. When he noticed that he was being watched by the police, he reportedly tried to flee at high speed.
During the escape, the driver lost control of the vehicle in a curve. Seven people died, including a six-year-old child. One passenger suffered permanent brain damage and is now unresponsive. Fourteen other passengers were seriously or moderately injured.
During the investigation, the police also discovered three other smuggling trips that the man was supposed to have carried out, in which he allegedly endangered the lives of the smugglers. These trips were charged.
It was previously reported that three men, referred to as "scout drivers," were also charged. They are alleged to have driven ahead of the transport vehicle to scout for police checks and warn the man accordingly.
The minibus involved in the incident was reportedly registered in Ampfing, a town in Bavaria, Germany. The public prosecutor's office in Traunstein is handling the case against the 24-year-old driver, accused of multiple counts of "Mord" due to the fatalities. On the day of the gate-accident, the driver was identified as the "death driver" by locals. The automatic gate at the Austrian-German border was damaged in the high-speed escape attempt. The Bavarian police are continuing their investigations into the incident.
