The Ellwangen Local Court on 3 November 2026 sentenced a 49-year-old lorry driver to ten months’ imprisonment, suspended, for causing death by negligence and negligently endangering road traffic. The court found that in June 2025, at the junction with the B290 federal road near Westhausen he drove through a red light and collided with a 19-year-old motorcyclist who was turning left on a green light. The young man died at the scene. The court said the judgment is not final.
The crash happened on 13 June 2025 at around 16:53 on the B29. The Aalen Police Headquarters said at the time that the lorry driver had claimed he failed to see the traffic light showing red for him because the sun was low. After considering witness testimony and an expert report, the court found this explanation unconvincing and attributed the greater share of responsibility to the defendant. No contributory negligence on the part of the 19-year-old could be established.
In addition to the suspended prison sentence, the court imposed probation conditions and a one-year ban on driving. According to accounts from the courtroom, the severity of the red-light violation and its fatal consequences were key factors in the sentence. Factors in mitigation included the defendant’s lack of previous convictions and personal circumstances. No details of the man’s account of the incident emerged during the hearing.
Fatal road crashes are generally assessed on the circumstances of each individual case. Possible penalties include fines, suspended sentences or immediate imprisonment, depending on the degree of culpability, acceptance of responsibility, previous convictions and the findings of the evidence. In this case, Ellwangen Local Court emphasised the duty to take particular care at signal-controlled junctions such as the B29/B290.
The crash prompted an outpouring of sympathy in the region. On the day of the incident, police had already carried out extensive measures to investigate the crash and secure evidence. The court’s assessment now delivered is based on the investigation by Aalen Police Headquarters and a technical expert report. An appeal may be lodged against the judgment within the statutory time limit. If an appeal is filed, the competent court would be the Ellwangen Regional Court.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).