Police detain BMW driver after fatal S10 expressway collision near Stargard
A 70-year-old driver died and a passenger was injured on the S10 expressway near Kobylanka after a BMW rear-ended their Toyota, leading to the detention of the 43-year-old BMW driver.
Collision on the S10 expressway
A fatal two-vehicle collision occurred on the S10 expressway along the Kobylanka bypass near Stargard in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship during the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. Both vehicles were traveling in the direction of Stargard when a BMW operated by a 43-year-old motorist collided with the rear of a Toyota driving ahead on the expressway route. The impact threw the 70-year-old driver of the Toyota through the front windshield, resulting in his immediate death at the scene. Emergency medical crews transported the female passenger of the Toyota to a hospital with severe injuries, where she remains in critical condition. Following the crash, the 43-year-old driver of the BMW fled the location on foot.
Two vehicles, a BMW and a Toyota, were involved in the incident. The vehicles were moving in the direction of Stargard. The 43-year-old driver of the BMW struck the Toyota.
Speed reports and police detention
Several hours after leaving the scene of the collision, the 43-year-old driver reported to a local police station, where officers placed him under arrest. Alcohol testing conducted by police confirmed that the man was sober at the time of the crash and his subsequent detention. Law enforcement authorities also detained the passenger who had been riding in the BMW. Unofficial findings reported by news outlet Interia indicated that the BMW was moving at 270 km/h prior to the impact, and that the passenger had recorded video footage of the drive on a mobile device.
- BMW rear-ends Toyota on S10 near Kobylanka, killing the 70-year-old driver
- 43-year-old BMW driver surrenders to police and tests sober
- Police confirm driver and passenger are detained awaiting formal charges
Wojciech Jędrych, press officer for the District Police Headquarters in Stargard, addressed the unofficial speed reports, confirming that the prosecutor's office had not granted approval to disclose vehicle speed data to the public. Jędrych additionally clarified that police investigators found no indication that the BMW driver was participating in an illegal street race. Both the driver and the passenger of the BMW remain in custody awaiting formal charges.
The female passenger of this vehicle is in the hospital with injuries. The driver and passenger of the BMW were detained and are awaiting charges.
Legal proceedings and related traffic fatalities
The fatal crash on the S10 expressway occurred days after another fatal collision linked to excessive speed in southern Poland. On Saturday, a 21-year-old driver fatally struck a pedestrian on a designated zebra crossing in Nowy Sącz. Police investigators determined that the driver was traveling at 120 km/h in an area with a posted speed limit of 60 km/h while participating in an illegal street race. Justyna Rataj-Mykietyn, spokesperson for the District Prosecutor's Office in Nowy Sącz, announced on Monday that the 21-year-old suspect expressed remorse during questioning and declared a desire to apologize to the victim's family. In West Pomerania, local prosecutors and police specialists continue to examine technical evidence from the Kobylanka collision to determine the final sequence of charges for the detained BMW occupants.
