Escape at 230 km/h on the A2: Drunk speeder arrested in Lower Austria

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The impact on other road users was severe. As a police spokesperson described, car drivers subsequently had to brake abruptly or swerve, and pedestrians had to jump aside. The escape ultimately led via the Verteilerkreis (distribution circle) onto the Südautobahn (A2) in the direction of Graz.

On the A2, the situation escalated: the car reached speeds of up to 230 km/h there, according to investigators. After passing through that stretch of motorway, the driver continued his escape via the Industriezentrum Süd (IZ Süd).

Climax on the Südautobahn

The high-speed drive ended in Lower Austria with a crash. The car slammed into a fence and came to a stop there. The 39-year-old and two passengers were provisionally arrested, police further announced.

A blood alcohol level of 0.44 per mille was recorded for the driver. In addition, there were open administrative penalties against him in Lower Austria amounting to around 22,000 euros.

Self-perception as a "racing champion"

Towards the intervening officers, the 39-year-old expressed surprise at the police's driving performance. He explained that he had not expected to be caught up with that day, and described himself as an "absolute racing champion". "After the crash, the man told the officers that he was 'an absolute racing champion'," the Vienna State Police Directorate reported on Monday. When asked about his behavior, the driver stated to police that he was an "absoluter Rennchampion".

Police announced that the man would be reported on suspicion of endangering bodily safety, unauthorized use of vehicles – a connection to the registered owner could not be established – as well as other traffic offenses.

Reports and outstanding penalties

The Vienna State Police Directorate also published a witness appeal on Monday. Persons who were endangered by the driving style of the 39-year-old car driver are asked to contact the Criminal Reference Department of the City Police Command Margareten at the telephone number 01/31310 ext. 55226.

The incident is part of a series of particularly serious speeding offenses in Austria. Only recently, a car driver in Linz was stopped at 143 km/h with 0.98 per mille and had his license confiscated.

The background of the check raises additional questions: according to current investigations, the car at the time of the attempted stop was apparently not clearly assignable to a registered owner. The investigations into the unauthorized use of vehicles are ongoing.

Witness appeal and investigations

The question of the extent to which the passengers were involved in the events has also not yet been conclusively clarified. Like the driver, they were provisionally arrested; no further details were initially given about their exact roles and possible involvement in the traffic offenses.

Police emphasized that at no point during the driving style of the man was a concrete collision with injured persons documented. However, the endangerment of other road users and pedestrians existed at all times during the pursuit.

Investigators are now evaluating, among other things, the traces at the accident site, the data from the car, and the statements of those involved. The goal is to reconstruct a complete picture of the escape drive and all offenses committed, it was said at the State Police Directorate.

No decision has yet been made on the sentence. In Austria, speeding offenses are punishable by high fines, driving license revocation, and in particularly serious cases also custodial sentences; moreover, new tightening of the regulations is being continuously discussed.