Fatal chase in Sainctelette: the investigation is launched for, among other things, manslaughter and driving without a license

A fatal accident occurred on Saturday evening in Brussels, in the Annie Cordy tunnel. The passenger of a car, which was chased by patrols from the Flemish Brabant AMOW police area (Asse/Merchtem/Opwijk/Wemmel), was killed. The information given by several media was confirmed on Monday by the Brussels public prosecutor’s office, which opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident and the possible responsibility of the driver. A car with four people in it tried to evade a police check in Zellik on Saturday evening.

AMOW area police then chased the vehicle to the Annie Cordy Tunnel. “The police of the AMOW zone have been summoned for acts of domestic violence in Zellik”, declared Monday Gilles Blondeau, spokesman for the Hal-Vilvoorde prosecutor’s office. “On the spot, the police found that the suspect of these acts of violence had already fled, but another patrol noticed, shortly following, a car with four occupants, including the suspect reported, and took the vehicle in hunt”.

As the suspects’ car entered the Annie Cordy tunnel, it hit the median at the Sainctelette exit, before hitting the wall on the right side of the tunnel. One of the vehicle’s passengers was ejected from the car and died. The vehicle then rolled several times before being stabilized. The driver and two other passengers had to be extricated by firefighters. One of these passengers – the suspect wanted for the acts of domestic violence – and the driver were seriously injured. The third passenger was lightly.

“It was regarding four young men, born in 1993, 2000 and 2003“, said Sarah Durant, spokesperson for the Brussels public prosecutor’s office, on Monday. “A car expert went to the scene and a medical examiner was appointed. In addition, the images from the video surveillance cameras will be examined”, commented the magistrate. “In the meantime, we have also requested an investigating judge to investigate for manslaughter and involuntary assault and battery, committed as a result of a traffic accident, but also for driving without a license and at inappropriate speed“, she indicated. “The first findings have already shown that there was never any contact between the police car and the victims’ car. The driver has apparently lost control of his vehicle.

For the moment, the driver and the two passengers who survived the accident might not be questioned by the police. The Brussels public prosecutor’s office is investigating the accident, while the Hal-Vilvorde public prosecutor’s office is investigating the domestic violence of which one of the injured passengers is suspected.