A 21-year-old driver involved in a fatal accident in Southern Jutland in April 2024 has been sentenced to 60 days of suspended imprisonment and 80 hours of community service. The court determined that the incident did not meet the criteria for reckless driving.

The accident, which occurred on Vandelvej in Vandel around 6:00 PM on April 6, 2024, resulted in the death of 20-year-old Simon Johnsen. The driver overtook another vehicle at excessive speed and crossed the dividing line, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors had sought a three-year prison sentence, arguing that the driving constituted negligent manslaughter under especially aggravating circumstances, also known as reckless driving. However, the court concluded that the driver’s actions, while negligent, did not rise to the level of particularly reckless driving.

The court emphasized that there was no contact between the 21-year-old’s car and the victim’s car, and that the incident was isolated, lasting only five to ten seconds. In addition to the suspended sentence and community service, the driver’s license will be revoked for six months. The 21-year-old accepted the verdict.