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Blood-curdling details about the deadly crash caused by an American soldier
A massively powerful Dodge Charger careered into a Dacia carrying a family of five in a Saturday night accident. The occupants of the Dacia were from Ajka and were returning home from ice skating: the father, mother and three children.
The Dodge Charger was driven by an American soldier. According to reports from his comrades, they repeatedly warned him not to speed, saying that trouble would follow. It did. The mother, who is already in shock, is also deeply worried about her daughter, who is hanging between life and death.
Popular teacher among the victims
Horváth Ákos, a tow-truck driver from Pápa, transported the wrecked Dodge off the road between Noszlop and Bakonygyepes. The vehicle was in astonishingly dire condition. Speaking to Blikk, the tow-truck operator said the state of the sports car led him to conclude that the American soldier had been driving at least twice the permitted speed. Despite this, he survived the crash with only minor scratches.
The same cannot be said for the innocent family in the other car. The Dacia’s driver, 43-year-old László K. from Ajka, died while being transported to hospital. His 13-year-old daughter remains in a critical condition, hovering between life and death. László was a beloved German language teacher at Pápa Petőfi Grammar School, where he was regarded as one of the most popular educators.
The American soldier may have been travelling at twice the permitted speed
The American serviceman had reportedly been warned several times by comrades not to race on Hungarian roads, as a crash was inevitable. He ignored the warnings. According to the tow-truck operator, the Dodge Charger may have been travelling at up to twice the allowed speed of 80 km/h.
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The incident occurred after a Honda sports car overtook him. The American allegedly interpreted this as a racing challenge and accelerated. He overtook the Honda, but there was no opportunity to steer away in time to avoid a near head-on collision with the oncoming Dacia.
László K.’s family lives in Adásztevel. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the village community and the widow Bea’s workplace—the Pápa mayor’s office—joined forces to help the family in every way possible.
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Compensation and legal consequences
According to criminal lawyer László Horváth, cited by Blikk, the family is likely to receive compensation not only from the negligent driver but also from the American Army, potentially through a private out-of-court settlement. Compensation payable by the driver would initially be covered by the state and later recovered from him.
The negligent American soldier is not expected to spend even a single day in a Hungarian prison. Following standard protocol, he is being held at Pápa Air Base prior to being flown home. Legal proceedings will be conducted in absentia, with the soldier awaiting the judge’s decision in an American detention facility, according to Blikk.
Whatever the outcome—regardless of the sentence or the amount of compensation awarded—the family patriarch cannot be brought back. Relatives who were injured in the crash remain in hospital, praying for the 13-year-old girl, for whom doctors are still fighting to save her life, according to Blikk.
- Click for more accident-related articles of ours.
Featured image: illustration. Source: depositphotos.com.
Feels like a slap on the wrist. Maybe add a permanent driving ban to whatever sentence (and fine) he gets.
He should be turned over the Hungarian Government for punishment as the Hungarian justice system deems appropriate. But in the absence of that he should be discharged from the US Army and sent to Fort Leavenworth Military prison and confined for a minimum term of 30 years to a maximum term of life in prison without possibility of early release.
There is no excuse for what happened. I think that cars of that nature should be banned from ownership by US soldiers because of their inherent danger to others when operated on public roads. Accidents of this nature happen too often.