Boat accident suspect faces eight year jail sentence

Photo: Depositphotos.com
Photo: Depositphotos.com

The Dutch public prosecutor on Tuesday called for an eight-year prison sentence for a man suspected of causing a fatal boat accident on the Vinkeveense Plassen lakes.

Arnoud H, a 51-year-old man from Oosterbeek, was charged with manslaughter following the boat crash on August 2, 2014 at the nature and sports reserve in the province of Utrecht.

The prosecution also asked for the maximum sailing disqualification of five years according to the Parool newspaper.

Two men of 51 and 42 from Leusden died when H rammed the boat where they were sitting with his speedboat. They were hit by the propeller and were killed, while two friends, also in their boat, just survived the crash.

H sailed on after the accident. In court he said he thought he had hit a buoy or tree trunk. But when he was arrested the next day – while in his bed – police smelled alcohol and found he had three times the limit of alcohol in his blood.

According to the prosecutor, the suspect has taken no responsibility for his actions, and this counted heavily against him in the call for sentence. The man is suspected of killing two people, attempted homicide of two others and leaving the scene of the accident.

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