Mönchengladbach - Pregnant woman driven to death: Prison sentence for 19-year-old
A 19-year-old driver has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the killing of a pregnant woman in Mönchengladbach, Germany. The defendant was found guilty of reckless manslaughter, hit and run, and attempted manslaughter by omission by the district court. The court exceeded the prosecutor's sentencing recommendation.
On November 5th of the previous year in Hückelhoven, the defendant ran a red light and struck a pregnant woman and her unborn child with his car at a speed of 70 km/h. The 31-year-old woman and her unborn child were thrown into the air and died shortly thereafter in the hospital.
19-year-old driver continued driving after the accident
Contrary to the defense's suggestion, the court did not sentence the 19-year-old under juvenile but under adult criminal law. Judge Martin Alberting explained his decision based on the defendant's assured and intelligent demeanor and his previous life course.
According to the judges, the defendant was impaired at the time of the accident with a blood alcohol level of 1.9 promille and under the influence of cocaine. After the collision, the defendant continued driving without stopping to help the accident victims. He finally stopped when an eyewitness overtook him and blocked his car approximately 400 meters away.
19-year-old thought he had hit an object, not a woman
The defendant testified in court that he had thought he had only hit an object and had not noticed the woman. The court considered this a self-defense claim. "What could that object have been, given the damage to the windshield?", asked the judge. The court was convinced that "they knew they had hit a person."
During the trial, the defendant begged forgiveness from the victim's relatives under tears. He expressed shame every day and would accept any judgment. "I'll be curious to see", said the judge. The defendant appeared shocked after the verdict. His lawyer had requested probation. The prosecutor had demanded two years and four months in prison. The judgment is not yet final.
The accident took place in the town of Hückelhoven, which is located in North Rhine-Westphalia. The crime scene was near a busy intersection, known for its heavy traffic. Following the sentencing, the woman's family expressed their disappointment to the public prosecutor's office in Mönchengladbach, urging for a harsher punishment. The defendant, despite his prison sentence, has expressed remorse throughout the court processes and acknowledged his mistakes.
