traffic - Two dead after alleged car race - An arrest
After an alleged illegal car race resulting in two deaths in 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 vehicle caught fire. The two occupants - a 20-year-old and a 52-year-old man from Dortmund - died. Another allegedly involved car fled from the accident scene. The police are now investigating the suspicion of an illegal car race.
The sports car was hit from the road, plowed through several trees, and immediately caught fire, as the Dortmund police reported. The fire department took care of witnesses and first responders at the accident scene who had to witness the incident.
The investigation quickly led to a 39-year-old man who was reported to have fled from the accident scene. He was arrested temporarily at his residence in Dortmund only two hours after the accident. The investigators seized his car, driver's license, mobile phone, and the man's clothing. After being interrogated, he was released at night.
At the accident scene, investigations continued until the early morning hours. The traces and data from the on-board electronics of both cars are now part of comprehensive investigations, with which the police intend to reconstruct the events. The investigations are expected to last several weeks, according to the police.
During the accident investigation, the A44 was closed in both directions for a while. The on-ramp to the A1 towards Cologne was also affected. The route is now clear again.
The alleged illegal car race took place in North Rhine-Westphalia, specifically near Dortmund/Unna and was heading towards Kassel. The 39-year-old man, who was arrested, resides in Dortmund. The investigations into the accident involve multiple vehicles, including Racecars. The police in Unna are working diligently to gather evidence from automatic vehicle data and on-site traces to understand the sequence of events. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the A44 and the on-ramp to the A1 were eventually reopened.
