Almost two years after the fatal Flixbus crash on the A9 near Leipzig, the driver was sentenced to two years’ probation. The local court in Eilenburg found him guilty of negligent homicide in four cases and negligent assault in 25 cases, the court announced on Friday.
The judge determined that on 27 March 2024, while driving the Flixbus from Berlin toward Munich, the driver lost control of the vehicle because of a brief lapse in attention. He was traveling at 94 km/h when the bus first drifted from the right lane onto the shoulder. Then it encountered a two‑metre‑deep downward embankment, spun, and overturned onto its right side after colliding with trees. The impact killed four female passengers and injured at least 25 others-some severely.
When setting the sentence, the court weighed the defendant’s confession, his sincere remorse, and the fact that he had no prior convictions. Since the accident, he has been undergoing psychological treatment.
In assigning liability, the court also took into account the single act that gave rise to both the negligent homicide and negligent assault charges, as well as the number of fatalities and the large number of injuries, some serious.