Trial in Innsbruck

Drunk driver without a license took pensioner’s life

Drunk and without a driver's license, a 44-year-old Tyrolean got behind the wheel. This ended in a terrible drama in which a pensioner lost his life. Now there was a trial.

It was a nice family dinner in a Chinese restaurant in Innsbruck. "My father-in-law went to get the car and then I heard a loud, muffled bang," recalls the daughter-in-law of an 83-year-old on the evening of July 4, 2023. A drunk driver knocked down the pensioner, who later died in hospital.

Driver with a blood alcohol level of 1.8
The investigation finally revealed that the driver not only had a blood alcohol level of 1.8 per mille, but did not even have a valid driver's license. During the hearing at Innsbruck Regional Court, the accused did not really know what had prompted the 44-year-old to drive his employer's company car that evening.

"I don't know, I just didn't think about it for long"

Der Angeklagte zum Grund der Alkofahrt

No real explanation
"I don't know, I just didn't think about it for long," he explained visibly crestfallen in front of Judge Paul Menardi. He had only seen three people standing on the side of the road outside the restaurant before there was a loud bang against his windshield. "But I was of the opinion that one of the people had thrown an object in the direction of my car."

The trial took place at Innsbruck Regional Court.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Four months in prison for fatal accident
For Mr. Rat, the situation was ultimately very clear: "You simply overlooked the man, but you could have seen him," he explained before announcing the sentence for gross negligence manslaughter: twelve months part-time, four of which in prison. He must also pay the widow 500 euros.