Blood alcohol level of 1.66 per mille

Drunk Driving Cost a Life: 15 Months in Prison

The drunk driver pleaded guilty in court.(Bild: and.one - stock.adobe.com, Christian Jauschowetz)

A 41-year-old man was sentenced by the St. Pölten Regional Court to 16 months in prison, 11 of which were suspended, for causing a traffic accident while under the influence of alcohol. The man had a blood alcohol level of 1.66 per mille when, on July 31 of this year, he veered into oncoming traffic on the B1 in Ardagger (Amstetten district) while driving his small truck and collided with the car of a 63-year-old man from the Mühlviertel region. The driver died at the scene of the accident.

The 41-year-old pleaded guilty during the single-judge hearing. “I’m terribly sorry,” said the Romanian. According to his statement, on the day of the accident he had been drinking four or five beers and two small bottles of Jägermeister with a coworker at a construction site starting at noon. He then got behind the wheel of the pickup truck.

Defendant Had Been Driving in a Zigzag Pattern
According to witness testimony, the defendant had been driving erratically for some time before the collision occurred that afternoon. “He crossed into the oncoming lane several times,” said a man who had been driving directly behind the pickup truck. His partner had asked him to keep his distance from the small truck. “I was scared to death,” reported the woman, who had been the passenger.

“No chance”
The pickup truck had “come close to rear-ending” other vehicles several times, said a witness who had been driving ahead of the defendant. Before the accident, the defendant likely swerved suddenly to the left, and the oncoming driver had “no chance,” the man said. The 64-year-old man from the Perg district was found dead inside his vehicle. The 41-year-old was taken to the hospital with injuries.

One life taken and several destroyed
The defendant had taken a life and destroyed several others, said one of the two representatives of the private plaintiffs. According to their statements, the deceased’s two sons and daughter had a close relationship with their father; some of them sought psychotherapeutic treatment after the accident. Defense attorney Marius Hortolomei asked for a chance for the defendant and requested a lenient sentence. The accident had also taken a heavy toll on his client.

6,500 euros for the funeral
The defendant was found guilty of negligent homicide. With a potential sentence of up to three years, his confession and clean criminal record were considered mitigating factors. The widow and two of the deceased’s three children were awarded approximately 6,500 euros to cover funeral-related expenses. The relatives were directed to pursue the remaining claims through civil proceedings. The verdict is not yet final because the public prosecutor’s office and the representatives of the private parties did not issue a statement.