Drunk driver causes intersection crash in St. Ruprecht an der Raab – 53-year-old in hospital

The second driver involved, a 31-year-old from the Graz-Umgebung district, was intoxicated, according to police. In the 19-year-old's vehicle there were also three 17-year-old passengers, according to the emergency services. The 19-year-old himself as well as the two 17-year-olds suffered minor injuries, according to police. The 31-year-old drunk driver is also said to have been only slightly injured, according to the available information.

Course of the accident

According to the 31-year-old, the 19-year-old did not stop at the stop line, police report. Exactly how the accident could have occurred is now the subject of investigations. The exact course of the accident as well as the blood alcohol level of the 31-year-old were initially not publicly quantified by the police.

The police investigations revealed that the 31-year-old from the Graz-Umgebung district reduced his speed, moved slightly to the left onto the turning lane, and it appeared that he was waiving his right of way. He then turned onto the B64 despite the approaching 19-year-old. The accounts of the two drivers regarding the exact sequence of events partially contradict each other.

Emergency services and consequences

Police, the Red Cross, and the fire department with 30 personnel and five vehicles were deployed. The B64/L362 intersection had to be closed for the duration of the accident investigation and recovery work. The exact amount of damage to the two vehicles is also not yet known.

According to the current state of the investigation, police assume that the 31-year-old's alcohol consumption played a significant role in the collision. Criminal proceedings are now being initiated against the man from the Graz-Umgebung district. What consequences this will specifically have will depend on the outcome of further investigations, it was said.

Investigations and police procedure

According to the available information, the Weiz district has repeatedly been the scene of partly serious traffic accidents. Just at the beginning of the year, there had been a consequential crash with several injuries at the B64/L362 intersection in St. Ruprecht an der Raab. The authorities had announced increased surveillance of the accident hotspot at the time.

The police announced that they would fully clarify the accident on Thursday evening on the B64 in St. Ruprecht an der Raab. Witnesses who observed the incident are asked to report to the nearest police station. According to the current information, the 53-year-old was not in life-threatening condition, but is to be treated as an inpatient in hospital.