Middelkerke (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Two defendants received acquittal through appeal for their roles in a Middelkerke fatal crash that happened three years before. A 17-year-old Dilbeek resident perished after being struck by a scooter vehicle during nighttime hours.
A Middelkerke electric scooter fatality case resulted in court-appointed innocence for two defendants, who later received full judicial clearance. The Bruges court confirmed the previous acquittal verdict, granting freedom to the 39-year-old Belgian woman and Dutch truck driver from unintentional manslaughter conviction charges while maintaining prior penalties for related offences.
The court decision officially states that the teenager’s death was beyond legal accountability, yet preserves established disciplinary actions against the involved drivers.
The tragic incident took place on July 4, 2022, when a Belgian motorist killed a Dilbeek resident on Koninklijke Baan in Lombardsijde at night. The boy encountered a Dutch trucker earlier that night, and authorities could not conclusively determine whether there had been a third collision.
Both defendants received initial court approval in April 2023 before they were acquitted of manslaughter charges, though this led to fines and driving bans for the woman, and the trucker became subject to penalties for his actions after fleeing the scene.
The judge confirmed the acquittal today. The other sentences remain in effect. “A great relief for my client,” says lawyer Hannes Colpaert, the woman’s lawyer. “The accident has left a very deep impression. My client has received psychological counselling and has also been able to speak to the victim’s family. She now wants to calmly and discreetly deal with the case and also close it,” says Colpaert.
What is the history of road accidents in Middelkerke?
The Belgian population lost 499 people to traffic accidents in 2020, resulting in a mortality rate of 43 deaths for every million inhabitants, which exceeded the EU average.
National data showed dangerous scenarios for cyclists, who made up 18% of total road deaths, thus exceeding the EU’s 10% total due to higher dangers for users in urban environments. Cyclist fatalities in Belgium increased by 17% between 2010 and 2020, as the EU rates remained stable yet serious injuries to cyclists kept escalating.
The road safety statistics across the Flemish region match national indicators throughout Middelkerke and the surrounding areas. The total number of road injury accidents identified in built-up regions reached 21,360 throughout 2023, while recording a 0.84% annual decline during the last five years.
Research shows that among Belgian road accident survivors, about 16% will suffer prolonged poor health outcomes because of these collisions.
The 2022 Middelkerke incident took place as Belgium faced a vulnerable road user (electric scooter rider) travelling on Koninklijke Baan. Middelkerke lacks data on its individual accident rates despite national statistical evidence showing recurrent alcohol-inflicted crimes and drivers who leave the scene of crashes.
Belgium ranks among the EU member states with the highest reported rates of drink-driving, which matches the penalty level for a female driver in this case. Statistical evidence reveals that heavy vehicles cause 20% of all road deaths involving vulnerable traffic participants throughout the nation.
Data from 2010 to 2020 demonstrates that road fatality numbers in Belgium decreased by 41%, which corresponds to European Union statistics. The Middelkerke case demonstrates that proven legal accountability remains challenging for such complex vehicle collisions, which do not provide definitive evidence.
