A 22-year-old man has had his conviction for involuntary manslaughter and serious bodily harm upheld by the Eastern High Court (Østre Landsret) in Denmark. On Tuesday, the court confirmed the four-year prison sentence that was given to him in December of last year by the District Court in Nykøbing Falster.
The accident occurred at the end of July on Grønsundvej Street in Bogø Town, resulting in the death of a woman and serious injuries to her partner. During the initial court proceedings, the 22-year-old admitted to being under the influence of drugs, including oxycodone, a powerful painkiller. He also acknowledged that he was playing a game on his mobile phone at the time of the incident but claimed that this distraction lasted only a short while.
The accident transpired when the young man collided head-on with an oncoming car, which carried the woman and her male passenger, both of whom sustained severe injuries. The male driver of the impacted vehicle survived but suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractures. The female passenger incurred life-threatening injuries and passed away a few days later.
It also came to light during the court hearings that the 22-year-old had purchased drugs earlier that same day, and police subsequently found over 100 pills in his possession. Although he faced charges for particularly reckless driving, the district court found insufficient evidence to support that he had been inattentive to the extent required for that specific charge to be upheld. Consequently, he was acquitted of this allegation.
The confirmation of the sentence by the high court means that the 22-year-old is now required to serve his four-year prison term for his involvement in the tragic incident.