Multiple attempted murder

Speeding driver faces multiple attempted murder charges

The speeding driver crashed into several stationary cars in Traun at 160 km/h.(Bild: Matthias Lauber/laumat.at)

A 20-year-old Hungarian from Linz, who had a wild chase with the police on the night of January 31, is now under investigation for multiple attempted murder. The high-speed drive, during which the occupants of 20 other vehicles were endangered, ended in a collision in Traun with five people injured.

The "Krone" reported on the case: a plainclothes patrol had wanted to stop the driver on the B1 (Wiener Straße) in Wels-West because he had crossed a no-go line. However, the man did not stop, but stepped on the gas and fled. He sped through the foggy Upper Austrian central region at speeds of up to 250 km/h, ignored red traffic lights, completed "very dangerous overtaking maneuvers" according to the police, sometimes across the emergency lane, and finally crashed into several stationary cars at around 160 km/h in Traun.

Not only the driver and his passenger, but also two police officers and another road user were injured, some of them seriously.

Public prosecutor's office assumes conditional intent tokill
Due to this "rampage" with numerous overtaking maneuvers, which endangered a number of other road users, the public prosecutor's office in Wels assumes a conditional intent to kill. There were at least five specific situations involving 20 vehicles whose occupants were endangered, according to public prosecutor's office spokesman Christoph Weber. These people must now be identified.

The accused himself admitted that he had been afraid that serious or even fatal accidents could happen, Weber explained. However, he drove on because he feared that he would not get his driving license, which had already been taken away from him earlier, back for some time and that his car might also be taken away from him. The vehicle belonged to the 20-year-old, but it was not registered and the license plates had been stolen from his mother's car.

Suspect in custody
Among other things, the public prosecutor's office commissioned a motor vehicle report, the suspect's cell phone was seized and a blood sample was analyzed. The 20-year-old has been in custody since February 6, which will initially last until February 20. There will then be another detention hearing.

Incidentally, the man had also had a chase with the police when he was arrested, but on foot: when the officers were at the door with an arrest warrant, he fled over the balcony, but was caught a short time later.