© IF en CCO
Ghent / Lochristi –
45-year-old motorist Bjorn B., who crashed into a group of cycling tourists at the end of February, will remain in prison for a month longer. The council chamber decided this on Friday. Two 45-year-old men from Lochristi died in the accident.
Friday, March 22, 2024 at 11:40 AM
At the end of February, Bjorn B. got behind the wheel of his Opel Astra on a Sunday morning, completely drunk. Research showed that the man had almost 3 per mille in his blood, which corresponds to approximately fourteen glasses of beer. B. also did not have a valid driver’s license at the time.
In the Pantserschipstraat in Ghent he hit a group of cycling friends at high speed. Two of them did not survive the blow. It involved Steven De Laender (45), firefighter, and Joris Rogiers (45), from Lochristi. The three other cyclists barely survived the serious crash.
B. was then arrested for unintentional killing, unintentional assault and battery and for driving without a driver’s license. B. has already been convicted twice for driving under the influence and there are two additional convictions for traffic offences.
Since his arrest, Bjorn B. has been in custody in prison. The council chamber in Ghent decided on Friday to extend his detention for a month. The East Flanders public prosecutor’s office is conducting an investigation into the facts and this is still ongoing.
