The pictures of the burnt out, completely destroyed car wrecks and the news of seven dead in Thuringia are still shocking. Many questions are still open two days after the bad accident on the federal highway 247 in Bad Langensalza, but one thing is certain: the man who is said to be responsible for the devastating crash has not had a driver’s license for 16 years.
The 45-year-old, who survived the accident on Saturday with serious injuries, has not had a driver’s license since 2007, a police spokeswoman confirmed. The “image” had previously reported about it.
The police spokeswoman did not comment on the reasons why the man lost his driver’s license. No information has yet been given about his possible alcohol consumption. The result of the blood test was not available at the beginning of the week. The suspected cause of the accident has not yet been heard. He is still in the hospital with two other seriously injured people.
Five 19-year-olds are dead
The 45-year-old drove into oncoming traffic early on Saturday evening on the Bad Langensalza bypass in a long curve and collided with two other cars. These immediately burst into flames and burned out. For five young people – three men and two women aged 19 – and a 60-year-old driver, any help came too late. They burned in their vehicles. A 44-year-old occupant in the car that caused the accident also did not survive the crash.
All accident victims come from Thuringia. For the victims, their families, as well as for the emergency services and all mourners, there will be a memorial service this Wednesday in the Divi Blasii Church in Mühlhausen. The Protestant regional bishop Friedrich Kramer is also expected to attend.
According to the police, they are investigating on suspicion of a homicide. The police spokeswoman said that tips from several witnesses would be followed up. The opinion of an expert is still pending. He secured traces on site and now has to inspect the burned-out vehicles.
Witness reported drinking alcohol in parking lot
According to information from the “Ostthüringer Zeitung”, the police are also following a tip that the three men in the car that caused the accident could have gotten drunk before the devastating collision. A witness reported that he had seen three people in a supermarket parking lot a few kilometers from the scene of the accident who had been drinking hard alcohol and then driving away. The description of the men from the parking lot should match those in the accident vehicle. The police initially declined to comment.
Meanwhile, the German police union in Thuringia called for tougher action when driving without a license. Drivers who got behind the wheel without a valid driver’s license should have their car withdrawn “without any ifs or buts,” demanded Dirk Weidenbach, the union’s deputy state chairman.
The vehicles should then be sold without compensation for the owner and the resulting proceeds should go to a charitable foundation for accident victims. “Securing the vehicle and taking it into police custody would be a helpful tool and probably also a deterrent for driving without a license,” said Weidenbach. Something will probably only change if material and financial consequences are to be feared.
Family members can still get help
The Thuringian CDU parliamentary group announced that it would put the serious accident on the agenda of the next interior committee. It doesn’t just have to be about driving behavior and possible errors, but also about the condition of the vehicle involved in the accident and the infrastructure.
After the federal highway 247 remained closed for more than a day, it was reopened to traffic on Sunday evening. However, the maximum speed in front of the accident site was gradually reduced from 100 km/h to 70 and then 50 km/h, as the police spokeswoman said.
Crisis intervention teams are still available for the relatives as well as rescue workers and police officers. “A fatal accident of this magnitude is difficult to put into words,” said Steven Dierbach, head of operations and fire chief of Bad Langensalza. 19 firefighters were on duty alongside rescue services and the police. “The emergency services want to save lives. The worst thing was that they couldn’t do anything for seven people.”
