Drunk driver gets 16-month sentence after fatal crash

A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 months in prison, 11 of them suspended, after causing a fatal crash while driving drunk, ORF reported. The ruling by the St. Pölten Regional Court is not final.

The man had a blood alcohol level of 1.66 per mille when his pickup truck crossed into oncoming traffic on the B1 in Ardagger, in Amstetten district, on July 31. It collided with a car driven by a 64-year-old man, who died at the scene. The accused was injured and taken to hospital.

The Romanian man pleaded guilty. He told the court he had drunk four or five beers and two small bottles of Jägermeister with a work colleague at a construction site from midday before driving.

Witnesses said the pickup had been weaving across the road for some time. One driver travelling behind it said it had crossed into the oncoming lane several times. His passenger said she had been terrified. Another witness said the pickup had followed his vehicle too closely and that the car coming the other way had no chance to avoid the collision.

A representative for the victim’s family told the court the crash had taken one life and devastated several others. The victim’s two sons and daughter said they had been close to their father; some had sought psychotherapy after the crash. The defence asked the court to give the accused a chance and impose a lenient sentence, saying the crash had also deeply affected him.

The court convicted the man of negligent homicide under Section 81(2) of the Criminal Code. His guilty plea and lack of previous convictions were considered mitigating factors. The victim’s widow and two of his three children were awarded about 6,500 euros for funeral-related costs. The family’s remaining claims were referred to civil proceedings.

The ruling is not final. Neither the prosecution nor the family’s representatives stated their position on the verdict.