Germany: Illegal street racers hurt pedestrians
May 13, 2018
A dramatic crash took place in the German city of Essen on Saturday evening, when the drivers of a Mercedes-Benz and a BMW took part in an illegal street race near a busy downtown shopping area.
German newspaper Bild reported that 10 pedestrians were standing at the street light where the crash occurred.
The driver of the Mercedes-Benz car appears to have lost control of the vehicle as they raced through Limbecker Strasse, causing the vehicle to veer off onto the sidewalk and hit the traffic light pole.
Read more: Illegal racing: Cars as lethal weapons
Five people who were standing at the traffic light were struck by broken car parts, Bild reported. Three of the pedestrians were seriously injured.
Essen Police spokeswoman Judith Herold told the paper that two 5-year-old children were among those who suffered serious injuries.
Difficult to prosecute
German authorities have had to grapple with the recurring problem of illegal street racing, an issue that has been difficult to prevent and to prosecute.
Read more: Germany's deadly street racers
In 2016, two racers in Berlin were sentenced to life in prison for the death of a 69-year-old driver, but the conviction was later overturned due to a lack of "intent" to cause the death of the man.