An 18-year-old girl was seriously injured when a police vehicle ran a red light in Warsaw, crashing during a prisoner transport.
Accident on Warsaw’s Wola
The accident occurred on January 16 at the intersection of Okopowa and Leszno streets in Warsaw. An unmarked police Opel, traveling with activated privilege signals, collided with a passenger car. Three people were hospitalized, including 18-year-old Anastazja, who was being transported in a police vehicle.
Operation on Ursynów and Convoy to Wola
The accident was connected to a police operation conducted the previous day on Ursynów, where officials dismantled a group involved in human trafficking and drug-related crimes. Two people were arrested, twelve were deported, and nine Ukrainian citizens were recognized as victims of human trafficking for forced labor. The day after the operation, police were transporting two arrested women to a unit on Wola, where they were to remain in detention facilities until their legal status was determined.
Handcuffs and Lack of Seatbelts
As explained by the Metropolitan Police Command, during transport, officers were not yet certain whether the women being transported were victims or members of the criminal group. For this reason, handcuffs were applied to those held in the back seat. The 18-year-old Anastazja was handcuffed and – according to findings – was not wearing a seatbelt. Following the accident, she was hospitalized in critical condition.
Police: Police Vehicle Entered on Red Light
In a published statement, the KSP confirmed that the police officer driving the vehicle with activated light and sound signals entered the intersection while the traffic light was red. A traffic patrol at the scene checked the sobriety of all drivers, who were found to be sober. Two arrested women and one police officer participating in the convoy were taken to the hospital.
Police Officer Suspended, Investigation Underway
It was also established that the officer driving the police vehicle held a category B driver’s license but did not have authorization to operate a vehicle with privilege signals. By decision of the Capital Police Commander, disciplinary and criminal proceedings have been initiated, and on January 30, the officer was suspended from service. The Warsaw Wola District Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation, which is currently at the in rem stage, with activities also coordinated with the Police Internal Affairs Bureau.
Concerns Raised by Victim’s Representative
The representative of one of the injured parties, lawyer Tymoteusz Paprocki, has raised questions about the course of proceedings. He points to the lack of charges and delays in appointing experts and collecting medical documentation. The police assure that they are cooperating fully with the prosecutor’s office and that all circumstances of the accident are being thoroughly investigated.
