Polish farmer plows through new Gliwice asphalt, causing $100,000 in damage

A 60-year-old farmer in Gliwice, Poland, intentionally damaged approximately 200 meters of newly paved asphalt on Rybacka Street using a plow attached to his tractor. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, causing an estimated 400,000 Polish złoty (about $100,000 USD) in damages, according to city officials.

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The farmer claimed he owned the road and that the construction work was illegal.

The farmer claimed he owned the road and that the construction work was illegal. However, Katarzyna Kuczyńska-Budka, the president of Gliwice, stated that all documentation, including land registry records, confirms the road is entirely city property. A surveyor also verified the municipality's ownership. Construction workers present at the scene intervened, blocking the farmer's path with their machinery to prevent further destruction.

Police apprehended the farmer at the scene. He was sober at the time of his arrest. His tractor was impounded, and it was discovered that the vehicle lacked mandatory third-party liability insurance. The farmer is scheduled to be interrogated by the prosecutor's office on Saturday.

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The Municipal Road Authority preliminarily estimated the losses at approximately 400,000 złoty, as the asphalt layer and the road base were destroyed. The entire road belongs to the city, which is confirmed by documents, including land registry records. A surveyor was also present and confirmed the municipality's ownership.

This is not the first time the farmer has allegedly destroyed public property. The Municipal Road Authority (ZDM) in Gliwice issued a statement refuting any claims that Rybacka Street is partially owned by the farmer, emphasizing its complete ownership by the City of Gliwice. Ostropa, the district where the incident occurred, has retained some of its rural character despite being part of Gliwice since 1975.

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The road is entirely the property of the City of Gliwice. It is not a private road or a road of which any part belongs to a private individual. (...) Suggestions that the lack of consent from a private owner influenced the renovation or the laying of the asphalt surface are also untrue.