A regional court in Białystok overturned the acquittal of former Polish Prime Minister Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz regarding a 2019 bicycle accident.
Appeal Leads to Conditional Dismissal
The Regional Court in Białystok on Friday reversed a previous ruling, overturning the acquittal and conditionally dismissing the case against former Prime Minister Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz. He was accused of hitting a cyclist at a pedestrian crossing in Hajnówka.
The prosecution filed the appeal, requesting the annulment of the verdict and the referral of the case for re-examination by the court of first instance. The ruling is final and binding.
Details of the 2019 Incident
The case concerned an accident that occurred on May 4, 2019, at a marked pedestrian crossing in Hajnówka, Podlaskie Voivodeship. The indictment stated that a 70-year-old cyclist was hit by a car driven by Cimoszewicz, a former Member of the European Parliament and previously Prime Minister.
The cyclist sustained a fractured shinbone, facial abrasions, and hand injuries.
Prosecution’s Allegations
Prosecutors alleged that Cimoszewicz negligently violated traffic safety rules, failed to observe the road carefully, and did not exercise due caution. They claimed he braked too late when approaching the crossing, causing the accident. He was also accused of leaving the scene of the incident.
Defense and Initial Court Ruling
Cimoszewicz did not admit to causing the accident. Before the court of first instance, he maintained he was driving at the speed limit and that the cyclist entered the crossing unexpectedly. He also stated he did not flee, but drove the injured woman home with friends at her request, after which she decided to go to the hospital.
First Instance Court Findings
The District Court in Hajnówka, which heard the case initially, found no evidence confirming the defendant’s guilt in causing the accident and deemed the doubts unresolved.
The court assessed that the behavior considered by the prosecution as leaving the scene of the accident constituted a misdemeanor, and the proceedings in this regard were discontinued due to the statute of limitations.
