A horror accident on the western highway near Pucking in Upper Austria took the life of young footballer Marko V. last November. The Public Prosecution Service now accuses the driver (41) of murder by gross negligence who collided with the victim’s car : the suspect allegedly crashed into the footballer’s Audi much too quickly and while distracted by lighting a cigarette.
The night before he scored a goal during the football match of his club Donau Linz, and the following night – on November 4 around 2 a.m. – the then 26-year-old Marko V. had a fatal accident. The Hungarian from Gallspach was so seriously injured in an accident on the A1 near Pucking that he died a short time later in hospital.
There is now a criminal complaint against the driver – a 41-year-old Tunisian from Vienna – who collided with the victim’s car. The prosecution’s charge: murder by gross negligence.
Too fast and with a cigarette
“He is accused of having crashed into the deceased’s car at extremely high speed and while he was lighting a cigarette, i.e. with a delayed reaction,” explains Ulrike Breiteneder, spokeswoman for the Linz public prosecutor’s office.
In concrete terms, according to the expert, the impact speed would have been 155 km/h, but at the time of the accident the speed limit was 100.
Possible ghost ride not relevant
Until now, there has always been speculation as to whether it was a ghost ride. This cannot be clearly clarified, says Breitenender, but does not play any role in the criminal complaint: “On the highway, everyone must drive in such a way that they can react to a surprising obstacle. It is therefore not relevant which driving maneuver the victim performed, it does not absolve the suspect of his guilt.” The 26-year-old footballer’s car, an Audi A3, was probably crossing two lanes when the collision occurred.
Up to three years in prison
The suspect himself – who has the presumption of innocence – described his speed as lower than the expert had indicated and told the investigators that he had noticed Marko V.’s vehicle so abruptly that he could no longer avoid it.
The court will decide the case on March 7. The penalty for murder by gross negligence is a maximum of three years in prison.
Source: Krone
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