Man gets one year in jail for repeatedly crashing into ex-son-in-law's car

A 65-year-old Italian man from Maasmechelen has been sentenced to one year in prison for intentionally crashing his car into his former son-in-law's vehicle on multiple occasions. The collisions occurred while the man's two grandchildren were passengers in his car.

The incident stemmed from a conflict on September 11, 2024, involving the man, his ex-son-in-law, and the grandchildren. The ex-son-in-law had reportedly entered his ex-partner's home and taken the two daughters, who were supposed to be with their mother. The mother alerted her father, leading to a heated argument between the two men, which also involved pepper spray.

During the confrontation, the grandfather attempted to flee with the children in his car but ended up crashing into his former son-in-law's vehicle three times. Police arrested the man and found a knife concealed in a keychain on his person.

This is not the man's first encounter with the law. He had previously been convicted in 2023 for assault and battery, receiving a two-year prison sentence. His criminal history also includes convictions for drug law violations and membership in a criminal organization, for which he received sentences of 40 months and six years, respectively. The Court of Tongeren-Borgloon imposed the one-year sentence and an 800 euro fine for the recent incident.