Tragedy in Chełmno. Prosecutor's Office: Driver deliberately drove into a group of pedestrians

The incident took a dramatic turn . According to investigators, Zbigniew W. deliberately steered his vehicle into a group of pedestrians on the sidewalk. The impact was so severe that five people, including three children, were injured.

"It is assumed that the suspect acted with the intention of causing serious bodily injuries to two underage girls and minor injuries to three other people," Mateusz Wiśniewski, deputy district prosecutor in Chełmno, told PAP. He added that the injured included another child, a woman, and an adult man.

The scale of the charges casts the case in an exceptionally serious light. The suspect's actions bear the hallmarks of attempted mass murder, and the prosecutor's office is treating them as one of the most serious crimes against life and limb.

The suspect remains silent about his motives.

The detained 56-year-old has already been questioned by investigators. Although he pleaded not guilty, he offered a detailed statement. However, the prosecutor's office is not disclosing the contents of the statement.

"For the sake of the investigation, the details of these explanations will not be disclosed," the investigators explained. They also emphasize that the perpetrator's motive remains unknown. Many commentators believe that the 56-year-old's motivation will be crucial to further proceedings and the assessment of his responsibility.

Was he acting on impulse, or were his actions planned? Did he have personal reasons for attacking random passersby, or was it an act devoid of logic and sense? These are unanswered questions for now.

Psychiatric examinations will be crucial

Psychiatric experts will also play a significant role in the investigation. The prosecutor's office announced that tests will be conducted to assess Zbigniew W.'s sanity at the time of the crime.

– It will be necessary to determine whether the suspect had previously received psychiatric treatment, and whether he was aware of the consequences of his actions at the time of the incident – inform investigators.

The diagnosis will directly influence the further course of the proceedings and the potential criminal classification of the act. If the suspect is found to be insane, he or she would not face imprisonment but rather a stay in a psychiatric facility. However, if he or she is found to be sane, he or she may be held fully responsible for his or her actions.

He faces life imprisonment.

The Penal Code provides exceptionally harsh penalties for the attempted murder of five people. Zbigniew W. faces a sentence of 15 years in prison, 25 years in prison, and, in extreme cases, life imprisonment.

This is one of the most serious legal classifications, reserved for the most serious crimes that pose a direct threat to the lives of many people. Given the charges, the punishment can be very severe – especially if the court finds the act was intentional and remorseless.

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