Man, 25, sentenced for fatal E403 accident: six-month suspended sentence

A Belgian court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to six months in prison, suspended, for causing a fatal accident on the E403 highway near Roeselare last March. The driver was speeding and had a blood alcohol level of 2.37 when his car veered off the road and flipped over.

A 22-year-old woman, a passenger in the back seat, died at the scene. She was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. The driver and another passenger, who were wearing seatbelts, escaped with minor injuries.

The defense argued that the victim's death was due to not wearing a seatbelt, not the driver's actions. However, the judge found the driver fully responsible. In addition to the suspended sentence, he must pay a 4,600 euro fine, will be banned from driving for 18 months, and must install an ignition interlock device in any vehicle he drives.

The court considered the man's previous convictions but also acknowledged his remorse. "I am very sorry for what happened," he stated in court. "I should not have taken the wheel that day." He could only present a Burundian driver's license, which is not valid in Belgium.

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I am very sorry for what happened. I should not have taken the wheel that day.