The Chełm District Court has sentenced 20-year-old Szymon C. to over seven years in prison after he crashed while driving ten people under the influence, resulting in two fatalities.
The Court’s Verdict
On Wednesday, June 3, the District Court sentenced Szymon C. to a total of seven years and eight months in prison, finding him guilty of causing a fatal accident and driving under the influence of alcohol. The court also imposed a lifetime driving ban and ordered him to pay 10,000 PLN to the Fund for Victims and Post-Penitentiary Assistance.
Judge Marek Woliński noted the defendant’s youth, lack of prior criminal record, and expression of remorse as mitigating factors. However, these were outweighed by the significant alcohol concentration, severe traffic violations, and the deaths of two individuals.
Irresponsible Behavior and Legal Proceedings
The court highlighted that the passengers had encouraged the driver to speed and accepted his intoxicated state. The District Prosecutor’s Office in Chełm had originally sought a sentence of over 14 years for causing a road catastrophe.
Evidence established that the 20-year-old was traveling at least 130 km/h in a 50 km/h zone with a blood alcohol level of approximately two per mille. The defendant pleaded guilty to the accident but contested charges regarding fleeing the scene and the intentional nature of the catastrophe.
Details of the Fatal Crash
The tragedy occurred in late March 2025 in Chełm following a birthday party. Szymon C. lost control of his vehicle on Ogrodowa Street, striking a lamppost and a concrete fence.
Ten people were in the vehicle at the time of the incident. Two 18-year-old passengers who were riding in the trunk died at the scene. The court’s judgment is not yet final.