26-year-old Hubert B. is responsible for a fatal accident in Kraków Podgórz. Volkswagen Golf drove on the sidewalk and hit a walking family. Parents died, the baby's stable.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday 22 August before 18 o'clock in the area of Solna and Nadwiślanska Streets. Volkswagen Golf's driver lost control of the vehicle, drove off the road and drove on the pavement. At that point, there was a 32-year-old couple – Mateusz S. and Claudia S. – with a cart in which they had a few month-old son Oliwier.
Both parents went to a hospital in bad condition. Despite the efforts of doctors, they died the same day. The boy suffered multiple organ injuries. His condition was first defined as severe, he is now stable.
How the accident occurred according to investigators
Prosecutor Mariusz Boroń of the District Prosecutor's Office in Krakow referred to the initial opinion of the expert in the field of accident reconstruction. It follows that Hubert B. was driving at a speed of about 70 km/h in a place where a limit of 30 km/h was in force.
The loss of control occurred at the turn. The car drove on the sidewalk and hit pedestrians who moved properly. In addition to the driver, there were three passengers aged 27–28. A breathalyst test showed no alcohol in a 26-year-old. Blood samples were also taken for further testing.
The Volkswagen Golf that Hubert B. was driving is a high power model. The man picked him up from the living room just a month earlier.
Hubert B. heard the charges and did not plead guilty
On Monday, August 24, the 26-year-old was brought to the D.A. He heard the charge of deliberately violating road safety rules by failing to comply with the speed limit. As a result, he inadvertently caused an accident in which two people were killed and the child suffered serious injuries. He's facing a sentence of up to eight years.
Hubert B. did not plead guilty. He explained that he lost control of the car while trying to get him out of the skid. He also pointed to an uneven road surface and claimed he was not driving too fast.
The D.A. applied for a temporary arrest. The Krakow District Court took him in and arrested him for three months. The fear of harassment and the possibility of harsh punishment due to the circumstances of the incident were given as reasons.
What is known about the state of the child and how to proceed?
Oliver remains in the hospital under the care of doctors. His condition is stable, although the injuries were severe. The family came from the Lesser Poland Voivodeship.
The investigation is ongoing. The D.A. secured the car. The newer Volkswagen Golf models include a data recorder (EDR), which can provide additional information on speed and manoeuvres just before the accident.
For years, residents of the area around Solna Street have reported problems with speeding in this area. After the tragedy, the city authorities announced a check on the organization of the movement.
