Five crashes, injuries

Driven into church with truck: Six years in prison

A 32-year-old man who drove a truck into the building of a Pentecostal church at the end of a "rampage" from Vienna to Brunn am Gebirge in July 2024 was sentenced to six years in prison in Wiener Neustadt on Wednesday. 

The accused was found guilty of deliberately endangering the public. The Romanian was also committed to a forensic therapy center. The verdict of the jury is not final.

Five collisions
The truck driver allegedly caused five collisions on his way to church on July 8 of the previous year, causing property damage and injuries. He then allegedly reversed into the church building several times. The damage amounted to around 825,000 euros. The 32-year-old said he was offended because he had not been accepted into the religious community. 

Of course I am guilty. I am sorry. I didn't plan to hurt anyone physically or mentally.

Der Angeklagte vor Gericht

"Of course I am guilty. I am sorry. I didn't plan to hurt anyone physically or psychologically," said the Romanian. "I wanted to get to the church quickly and break the glass." The defense lawyer described his client as a "very religious person for whom the church was the center of his life".

Expert witness Manfred Walzl described the accused as "extremely mentally conspicuous". According to an expert opinion, the accused suffers from a personality disorder, but is considered sane. During questioning by the police, two women reported being "scared to death" and suffered serious psychological consequences.

(Bild: APA/SOPHIA KILLINGER, Krone KREATIV)

Reduced culpability and confession
The "wild ride" was documented on several videos, "it looks as if it was not a spontaneous idea", said the judge. Previous convictions in Germany and Austria were the main aggravating factors in the sentencing. Mitigating factors included the reduced culpability and the confession.

"The beginnings of a rampage"
The expert witness said that the man had a "bomb" inside him. "It was de facto already the beginnings of a rampage," said Walzl. The accused had learned nothing from his previous convictions, did not feel ill and refused medication.

The defendant was also found guilty of endangering physical safety, causing grievous bodily harm, making dangerous threats, aggravated coercion and grievous damage to property.

Probation period extended
A conditional sentence was not revoked and the probationary period was extended to five years. The private parties - including an insurance company and a victim - were awarded a total of almost 40,000 euros.