The District Court in Piotrków Trybunalski on Wednesday, 21 October, sentenced Sebastian Majtczak to eight years in prison for causing a crash on the A1 motorway that killed a three-person family. This is the maximum penalty provided for by the law in force at the time of the incident.
The verdict was announced by Judge Renata Folkman, according to the portal brd24.pl, which reported on the case from the courtroom. The court found the defendant guilty of causing the crash of 16 September 2023. According to this portal, Majtczak will be able to apply for conditional release after serving three quarters of his sentence. The verdict is not final.
What happened on the A1
The crash took place on 16 September 2023 on the A1 motorway near Sierosław in Piotrków County. A BMW driven by Majtczak struck a Kia carrying a married couple and their five-year-old son. The Kia hit the barriers and burst into flames. The entire family died.
According to expert opinion presented at the trial, the BMW was travelling at between 315 and 329 km/h, and the Kia at about 140 km/h, according to motoguru.pl.
Flight, extradition, trial
After the crash, Majtczak left for the United Arab Emirates. At the beginning of 2024 he left detention there and appealed the decision that his extradition was admissible. He arrived in Poland in May 2025. He has been held in pre-trial detention since 26 May 2025. Judge Folkman referred to this date in court.
The trial before the district court began on 22 October 2025. The case files run to nearly 30 volumes. The court heard witnesses, including police officers, firefighters and passengers of the BMW. It also heard experts in accident reconstruction.
At the beginning of October, in closing arguments, prosecutor Aleksander Duda demanded eight years in prison and a 15-year driving ban. According to PAP, the prosecution also sought PLN 1 million in compensation for the parents of each of the two adult victims who died, and PLN 200,000 for the brother of one of them. The defence asked for an acquittal. The court rejected a motion by one of the defence lawyers to reopen the proceedings, finding it untimely.
Why the maximum is eight years
An eight-year sentence is the upper limit for causing a fatal crash under the law in force in September 2023. Harsher penalties for the most serious road accidents, including those above eight years, were introduced later. That is why they could not apply in this case.
What happens next
The verdict can be appealed to the regional court. As of publication, it has not been determined whether the defence or the prosecution will file an appeal.
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