Convertible accident on Rügen: Public prosecutor wants harsher punishment!

Convertible accident on Rügen: Public prosecutor wants harsher punishment!

A serious incident in Prora on Rügen has now made headlines: A 47-year-old entrepreneur was recently convicted of assaulting a 13-year-old boy. The boy was hit by a convertible during a school trip on the way to a supermarket with his classmates. The Bergen district court imposed a fine of 12,000 euros and revoked the defendant's driving license for one and a half years. The Stralsund public prosecutor's office, which had demanded a suspended prison sentence of two years, has now appealed against the verdict because it is seeking a higher sentence, as the Ostsee-Zeitung reports.

The driver was not only convicted of negligent bodily harm and hit-and-run, but also faces further allegations relating to dangerous interference with road traffic and grievous bodily harm. However, as a result of the evidence, the court found no evidence of intentional action, which is why the defendant denied his guilt and assumed that he had not intentionally hit the boy.

Witness reports and the course of the accident

Witnesses confirmed that while the boy was faxing with his friends on the street, he gave the driver of the convertible the middle finger, which was interpreted as a provocation. Eyewitnesses claim that the defendant made a targeted steering movement towards the boy. After the collision, in which the boy suffered a traumatic brain injury and several other injuries, the driver initially rushed to help, but then quickly fled the scene. Despite his injuries, the boy was able to return to the youth hostel on his own.

The police had been searching for the driver and his vehicle for weeks before the convertible was finally seized on the defendant's premises on September 5, 2024. The vehicle was badly damaged and the proceedings are now continuing at the Stralsund Regional Court. However, the proceedings are not expected to open for three months at the earliest.

Road safety in focus

In order to better understand the background to traffic accidents, the Association of Statistical Offices collects data on traffic events in Germany. This information is not only important for traffic education, but also for measures to improve traffic safety in legislation and road construction, as can be seen on the website of the Federal Statistical Office. After all, accidents are a central issue in transport policy that affects everyone and ensures greater safety on the roads.

The tragedy in Prora shows once again how quickly serious accidents can occur and that such incidents continue to fuel the public debate about road safety.

The trial will continue on Monday and it remains to be seen whether the court has any prospect of a different verdict for the convertible driver.