Conditional Custody for 21-Year-Old Speedster After Wild Chase Through Vienna

"Excuse the question, but are you still quite normal?" asked Judge Wolfgang Etl at the beginning of the trial to the 21-year-old defendant. "That was not good of me at all," replied the speeder.

21-Year-Old Speeder in Custody for Six Days After Wild Car Chase

The previously unblemished individual was sentenced to a 20-month prison term for endangering physical safety, severe coercion, and attempted severe bodily harm, with a sentencing range of up to five years. Considering his remorseful confession and the fact that no accident with severe consequences occurred, the sentence was conditionally suspended with a three-year probation period. The verdict is not final. The young man had been in custody until February 27 following his arrest. He was then released on the prosecutor's order against milder measures - six different directives were imposed on him. He agreed with the penalty imposed on him. The prosecutor initially made no statement.

The aspiring electrical engineer, who earns 2,500 euros net in his second year of apprenticeship, had picked up two friends from Strasshof an der Nordbahn (Gänserndorf district) with his souped-up BMW, with whom he wanted to go for a drink in Vienna. He had only re-registered his beloved car - as defense attorney Peter Philipp explained, the defendant saw the vehicle as "his sanctuary" - the day before after a winter break. Because he was driving too fast and the vehicle made suspicious exhaust noises, a civilian patrol on the A23 noticed the red BMW. The crew tried to stop the driver using blue lights and a stop signal. Instead of stopping as indicated, the driver pressed the accelerator and engaged in an eleven-minute car chase with the police.

Police Rammed BMW and Ended the Car Chase Through Vienna

Initially, he turned onto the A22, accelerated to up to 230 km/h on Raffineriestraße - where a maximum of 50 km/h is allowed - turned around on Biberhaufenweg, and drove back. In Stadlau, the speeder first drove through a residential area with a 30 km/h limit before getting back on the highway. The civilian patrol, with a 295 hp Audi A4, could barely keep up, but eventually managed to deliberately ram the BMW and thus stop it. The 21-year-old and his two friends, who had feared for their lives in the vehicle, remained uninjured in the crash, as did the two police officers. The speeder was arrested without resistance.

Police Officers Described "Extremely Dangerous" Scenes in Trial Against 21-Year-Old Speedster

As the two police officers emphasized in the witness stand, the defendant had repeatedly crossed intersections on red lights and performed risky overtaking maneuvers in oncoming traffic areas. "We assumed that a serious accident could happen at any time," said the older officer. "I have been with the police for 16 years. I have never experienced anything like this. I experienced this madness for the first time," stressed the 37-year-old. "In my opinion, it was extremely dangerous," his 28-year-old colleague agreed. Only with a lot of luck and because oncoming vehicles swerved in time to avoid the red BMW, partially driving onto green strips, was a fatal accident avoided.

The defendant was neither intoxicated nor under the influence of any other mind-altering substances at the time of the offense. "His motive was actually ridiculous," noted defense attorney Peter Philipp. The young car enthusiast had modified the BMW and had not obtained approval for the changes. He had made modifications to the hood, chassis, rims, front spoiler, and rear diffuser. "He was afraid the police would find out and take the car away from him," explained the defense attorney.

Speedster's BMW to Be Auctioned

The car, damaged as a result of the collision, was indeed confiscated, which has been permissible since March 1, 2024, in cases of extreme and reckless speeding. It is now set to be auctioned. Additionally, the 21-year-old's driver's license was revoked for a period of 18 months. "You used the vehicle like a weapon," the judge told the 21-year-old in the reasoning of the verdict. The question of whether he was aware "that people could have died" was previously affirmed by the apprentice.

(APA/Red)

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