Polish MP Łukasz Litewka Dies in Tragic Bicycle Accident in Dąbrowa Górnicza

Łukasz Litewka, a 36-year-old member of the Polish Sejm representing the New Left, died on Thursday, April 23, 2026, after being struck head-on by a car while riding a bicycle on Kazimierzowska Street in Dąbrowa Górnicza. Autopsy results released on Friday confirmed that the direct cause of death was massive hemorrhage caused by the severance of key arteries in the lower limb. Prosecutor Bartosz Kilian, spokesperson for the District Prosecutor's Office in Sosnowiec, confirmed the findings, stating that the force of the impact severed the continuity of key blood vessels, leading to fatal blood loss. The accident occurred around 1:00 PM on a forest road with a speed limit of 60 km/h, according to police. Resuscitation efforts at the scene were unsuccessful.

Driver detained, interrogation delayed by medical tests The driver, a 57-year-old resident of Sosnowiec, was driving a Mitsubishi Colt when he veered into the opposite lane and struck Litewka head-on, before crashing into a tree. Preliminary police findings suggest the man either fainted or fell asleep at the wheel, and the driver himself told investigators he does not remember the moment of the accident. He was detained and blood was drawn for toxicological testing, with police confirming he was sober at the scene. His formal interrogation by the prosecutor's office was delayed throughout Friday because he required extensive medical examinations to assess his fitness to participate in procedural activities. According to Prosecutor Kilian, those examinations were expected to conclude around 18:00, after which the man was to be brought to the prosecutor's office in Dąbrowa Górnicza for questioning. The prosecutor's office announced a press briefing at 20:00 Friday, or before noon Saturday if procedures ran longer. Investigators stated that no version of events had been excluded, and that further toxicological and histopathological tests on material secured from the victim would also be conducted.

„Key arteries were severed, resulting in exsanguination. We have secured relevant material for further testing.” — Bartosz Kilian via TVN24

Forensic doctor: helmet likely would not have changed the outcome The autopsy also revealed that Litewka was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, but the forensic doctor indicated this was unlikely to have been decisive. According to Radio ZET reporter Szymon Kastelik, the forensic examiner stated that the head injury was not the most serious wound sustained, and that the fatal damage was concentrated in the lower limb. The autopsy findings were released on April 24, the day after the accident. Police separately appealed to the public to refrain from publishing unverified information, noting that preliminary findings showed no indication the incident was intentional. Officers also called on witnesses and anyone with information about the accident to come forward. The road on which the collision occurred had reportedly long required renovation, and investigators were examining both the driver's medical condition and road conditions as part of the inquiry.

Left cancels May Day events, state funeral under consideration The Left announced on Friday the cancellation of all planned May Day celebrations in honor of Litewka, stating that none of its members would be able to celebrate on that day.

„In the face of the tragic death of our friend, Łukasz Litewka, we have made the decision to cancel all planned May Day events organized by The Left this year.” — The Left parliamentary club via Do Rzeczy

Włodzimierz Czarzasty, Speaker of the Sejm, said farewell to the MP and noted that what Litewka had done for charitable activities, people, and animals had served many lives. Czarzasty also indicated that Litewka would receive a state funeral, provided his family gives consent. Marcin Przydacz, head of the International Policy Bureau in the Presidential Chancellery, said that if President Karol Nawrocki asked him whether to posthumously honor Litewka, he would recommend such a decision, adding that the president had known the MP personally. Litewka had entered the Sejm in 2023 as a first-time parliamentarian, running from the last position on the New Left list in electoral district 32, covering Sosnowiec, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Jaworzno, Będzin, and Zawiercie. He received , outpolling the formation's leader Czarzasty, who received slightly over 22,000 votes. Beyond politics, Litewka was widely known for his charitable work through the #TeamLitewka foundation, which raised funds for children's medical treatment, animal rescue, and local community aid.

Łukasz Litewka began his public career as a Sosnowiec city councilor, elected in 2014 and 2018 from left-wing lists. He ran unsuccessfully for the Sejm in 2019 from the SLD lists. In the 2023 parliamentary elections, he secured a seat in the Sejm's tenth term, representing the New Left. He studied at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Silesia and was a sociologist by education. During the 2023 campaign, he placed photographs of shelter dogs on his election posters; after the campaign, his banners were repurposed as insulation material for shelter kennels.