Accident Involving Celebrity Restaurant Owner
“BMW Driver Failed to React for Three Seconds”
A 66-year-old German BMW driver was sentenced Thursday at the Salzburg Regional Court to a fine of 13,500 euros—half of which is suspended—for multiple counts of negligent homicide. The case stemmed from the tragic fatal accident involving the prominent Schladming innkeeper Thomas Knaus (48) and his girlfriend Kathrin (37).
Kronen Zeitung als bevorzugte Google-Quelle hinzufügen On June 21, the couple was riding a motorcycle on the B320 in Radstadt when an oncoming BMW veered completely into the wrong lane. Knaus and his girlfriend sustained fatal injuries as a result of the head-on, high-impact collision. The innkeeper was widely known in the region for his Schladming establishment, “Almrausch.” The loss hit family members, friends, and numerous acquaintances hard—the “Krone” reported on it several times.
“I have no explanation for it”
But the “why” will likely remain a mystery. He couldn’t recall the reason for his driving error, the 66-year-old German man said during Thursday’s trial at the Salzburg Regional Court. On that day, he was on vacation with his wife: They were traveling from Schladming to Maria Alm. It was also his first time driving on the B320. “I deeply regret it. I’ve been mulling it over for four months, but I have no explanation for it,” the 66-year-old told the judge.
The law prescribes a fine in such cases. I do not see any added value in a prison sentence.
Richter Markus Hanl bei der Urteilsbegründung
Accident expert and investigator Gerhard Kronreif explained the cause of the accident: a fatal lapse in attention. For up to three seconds, the BMW driver showed “no reaction at all.” He simply drove straight ahead before the long right-hand curve and thus veered into the oncoming lane. “A lane-keeping assist system would have kept the vehicle in its lane.” But the German man’s BMW did not have such a system.
“We know what happened. But we don’t know why,” the judge said, addressing the defendant, and sentenced him to a fine of 13,500 euros for multiple counts of negligent homicide—half of which was suspended. “The law prescribes a fine in such cases,” the judge emphasized in conclusion. The verdict is not yet final.
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