A 28-year-old quad bike driver died on Thursday, 22 October, in the evening on private property in Barciany (Kętrzyn County). According to police, the man struck a steel cable, and his passenger, a 12-year-old boy, was taken to hospital for tests.
The duty officer at the Kętrzyn District Police Headquarters received the report of the accident on Thursday at around 5:00 p.m. According to a statement from the Warmian-Masurian Police, rescue services were sent to the scene immediately. Preliminary findings by officers indicate that the 28-year-old was driving the quad across private property when he hit a steel cable.
What the police said
The man suffered serious injuries. A Medical Rescue Team provided him with assistance at the scene and then transported him to the County Hospital in Kętrzyn. Despite the rescue efforts, the 28-year-old could not be saved. On the prosecutor’s decision, the body was secured for further procedural actions.
A 12-year-old passenger was also riding the quad. According to police, he had no visible injuries, but rescuers took him to the Provincial Hospital in Olsztyn for further tests. As WP reported, citing the prosecutor, the boy’s condition is good and he is expected to return home after routine examinations.
Prosecutor’s investigation
As WP reported, citing prosecutor Daniel Brodowski, an investigation was opened into causing death by negligence (Article 155 of the Penal Code). This is a preliminary legal classification. The prosecutor worked at the scene until late in the evening. Further actions are planned for Friday, including a procedural experiment. The autopsy has been scheduled for next week. Only the autopsy and expert opinions will determine the mechanism of the injuries and the cause of death.
Police stress that these are preliminary findings and that the circumstances are being clarified by Kętrzyn police officers under the supervision of the prosecutor.
What is not known
The police statement does not say who the driver was or exactly how the cable was secured. Media reports say the obstacle was stretched roughly half a metre above the ground and that the road was marked with a no-entry sign. The police statement does not confirm these details. Ewelina Piaścik, spokeswoman for the Kętrzyn police, said, according to the portal tko.pl, that the cable was part of a fence and was marked, and that the driver probably did not notice it. One possible cause could have been poorer visibility at dusk. This version also awaits confirmation in the investigation.
According to unofficial reports from local media and „Super Express”, the deceased was a firefighter with the State Fire Service in Kętrzyn. The services have not confirmed this information. WP also writes that the two riders were related (uncle and nephew). This information, too, comes from the media, not from an official statement by the services.
What happens next
No charges have been brought against anyone. The prosecutor is conducting proceedings in the case, which means, for now, no specific person is a suspect. Investigators need to establish who was responsible for securing the area and whether the obstacle was marked. The autopsy results and expert opinions will be key to the legal classification.
For people who ride quads on private land, this is a reminder: entering someone else’s property after dark and in poor visibility carries risk, and property owners should mark fences and obstacles so they are visible after dark as well.
