Paweł Kozanecki, convicted in a fatal car crash, claims a five-year media campaign has ruined his life while evading imprisonment.
Conviction and Initial Sentence
Paweł Kozanecki was definitively convicted in March for causing an accident on the Barczewo-Jeziorany road, resulting in the deaths of two women. The Regional Court in Olsztyn reduced the sentence from the first instance (two years imprisonment and a five-year driving ban in April 2025) to one year and six months imprisonment, along with a four-year driving ban.
Fugitive Status and Public Outcry
Kozanecki failed to report to prison to serve his sentence, prompting police to issue a wanted notice for him at the end of April. The case gained public attention when Kozanecki, a lawyer by profession, recorded and published a video online, describing the accident as a collision between a safe car and a “coffin on wheels.”
Letter to Victims’ Families
According to “Fakt,” Kozanecki wrote a letter to the law firm representing the victims’ families. He stated he has been the victim of a media smear campaign for five years, preventing him from working in his profession or any other. He did not promise compensation but indicated a current lack of funds. Karol Rogalski, the families’ lawyer, suggested authorities should provide Kozanecki with an electronic monitoring bracelet, believing he would seek construction work to earn money if released.
Sightings Reported in Dziwnów
Wirtualna Polska reported receiving information from individuals claiming to have seen Kozanecki in Dziwnów. An anonymous source urged authorities to investigate two addresses in the area, stating Kozanecki was in Dziwnów on the Baltic coast the previous week and likely has family there.
Police Investigation Ongoing
Police confirmed they are analyzing the received information. “Many tips are coming in regarding the wanted individual. At this stage, I can only say that we are analyzing them, and police from the criminal department are intensively working on the case,” stated Kom. Adam Dembiński from the Łódź Voivodeship Police Headquarters press office.
Edited by
Kamila Cieślik