Fierce argument

Attack after parking damage: Driver arrested

A guilty driver (26) simply drove over a witness in Vienna-Favoriten after a violent argument. Shortly afterwards, however, he was arrested by the police.

The witness (23) to a night-time "parking damage escape" in Favoriten paid for his courage when an aggressive Syrian driver (26) ruthlessly knocked him down with his car.

Wanted to confront him
Specifically, the Austrian had stood in front of the driver's car at around 10.30 p.m. to confront him. The Syrian then got out of the car. A heated argument ensued. Finally, the driver got back behind the wheel and pushed the witness down as he drove away. He called the police on his cell phone.

He was temporarily arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and subsequently charged.

Julia Schick, Pressesprecherin der Wiener Polizei

While the officers were questioning the injured man, the car driver suddenly reappeared at the scene of the accident. "He was temporarily detained on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and subsequently charged," said Julia Schick, spokesperson for the Vienna police.

ÖAMTC warns
The ÖAMTC also strongly warns against not reporting parking damage or reporting it too late. "If you cause damage when parking or leaving a parking space and the driver of the damaged vehicle is not on site, the parking damage must be reported to the nearest police station without unnecessary delay," says Nikolaus Authried, head of legal advice at the motorists' club.

Failure to report parking damage can even result in multiple charges of hit-and-run.

Nikolaus Authried ist Rechtsexperte beim ÖAMTC

A message behind the windshield wiper is not enough
Sticking a note behind the windshield wiper of the damaged vehicle is not enough. It can only be made in addition to the police report. Anyone who fails to report the accident to the nearest police station can be fined up to three administrative penalties in one go. And: This also applies if the accident is reported to the police late. "This often adds up to several hundred euros in administrative fines alone," says Authried.