Death bus driver 'suspected of manslaughter'
The driver of a bus which crashed in central Sweden leaving nine people dead is suspected of criminal offences, prosecutors have said.
The 62-year old was questioned by police on Friday in Skövde hospital about the crash in Arboga. He was told that police suspected him of manslaughter, careless driving and causing injury.
“Several pieces of evidence have come to light that have led me to say that the driver is suspected of criminal offences. These are a combination of witness statements and forensic evidence,” said regional prosecutor Bengt Kylin to TT.
Kylin said that the precise cause of the accident is not yet clear, but the driver is suspected of contributing to the accident through carelessness. He refused to be drawn on whether the bus had been going too quickly.
Analysis of blood tests taken after the crash is not yet complete. Neither prosecutors nor police would reveal what the driver or passengers had said about the accident. The preliminary police investigation of the bus did not reveal any technical faults.
The Swedish Accident Investigation Board’s investigation into the accident is not expected to be complete until the end of the year at the earliest, and only then will it be known whether there was any technical reason for the bus to have veered off the road.
Questioning of all witnesses will be complete by the end of this week at the earliest. Many of these will be questioned over the phone.
Nine people were killed in the accident, which took place on 27th January on the E18/E20 highway to the south of Arboga. The bus was carrying around 50 people, most of whom were from the Skövde area. They were on their way to Stockholm to see a performance of hit musical Mamma Mia. Most of those injured in the accident have been discharged from hospital.
TT/The Local
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The 62-year old was questioned by police on Friday in Skövde hospital about the crash in Arboga. He was told that police suspected him of manslaughter, careless driving and causing injury.
“Several pieces of evidence have come to light that have led me to say that the driver is suspected of criminal offences. These are a combination of witness statements and forensic evidence,” said regional prosecutor Bengt Kylin to TT.
Kylin said that the precise cause of the accident is not yet clear, but the driver is suspected of contributing to the accident through carelessness. He refused to be drawn on whether the bus had been going too quickly.
Analysis of blood tests taken after the crash is not yet complete. Neither prosecutors nor police would reveal what the driver or passengers had said about the accident. The preliminary police investigation of the bus did not reveal any technical faults.
The Swedish Accident Investigation Board’s investigation into the accident is not expected to be complete until the end of the year at the earliest, and only then will it be known whether there was any technical reason for the bus to have veered off the road.
Questioning of all witnesses will be complete by the end of this week at the earliest. Many of these will be questioned over the phone.
Nine people were killed in the accident, which took place on 27th January on the E18/E20 highway to the south of Arboga. The bus was carrying around 50 people, most of whom were from the Skövde area. They were on their way to Stockholm to see a performance of hit musical Mamma Mia. Most of those injured in the accident have been discharged from hospital.
TT/The Local
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