An 18-year-old Ukrainian woman was seriously injured when an unmarked police car collided with a civilian vehicle in Warsaw on January 16.
Accident After Police Operation
The accident occurred on January 16, a day after a police operation targeting a group involved in human trafficking. At the intersection of Leszno and Okopowa streets, an unmarked police car with detained women collided with a civilian vehicle. In a January 28 statement, police confirmed the accident circumstances are being investigated as part of a separate proceeding.
Representative: She Faces Permanent Disability
On January 23, the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation. According to her lawyer, mec. Tymoteusz Paprocki, 18-year-old Anastazja from Ukraine is in intensive care after surgery and faces permanent disability. Paprocki stated the woman was handcuffed without a seatbelt, had victim status in a drug trafficking case, and was allegedly exploited for forced labor. “The prosecutor does not know where the police car was going,” confirmed Warsaw prosecutor’s spokesman Antoni Skiba.
Police Position
In a January 31 statement, Warsaw police confirmed officers used light and sound signals of a privileged vehicle. The destination was a Wola district unit where detainees were to remain in a detention room. The convoy involved three officers transporting two individuals whose status hadn’t changed since arrest, justifying handcuffs. The women were recognized as victims only the following day.
Police Officer Suspended
Police addressed the accident details, noting the officer driving with privilege signals entered an intersection during a red light. A traffic patrol confirmed all drivers were sober. Investigation revealed the officer had vehicle driving rights, including for police cars, but without privilege signals. The Warsaw Police Chief immediately initiated disciplinary and criminal proceedings, suspending the officer on Friday. The case is being handled by the Warsaw-Wola District Prosecutor’s Office and Police Internal Affairs Bureau.
