Man Convicted for Fatal Crash in Harstad Upheld by appeals court
In a case heard by Midtre Hålogaland District Court, a 60-year-old man was sentenced to one year in prison for causing a deadly collision in Harstad. The lagmannsretten, Norway’s second highest court, has now upheld this sentence, as reported by NRK.
The incident occurred when the man, driving a loaded trailer, lost control of his vehicle, causing the trailer to veer into oncoming traffic and collide head-on with the car driven by 31-year-old Preben-André Bergseng Lind, who tragically died in the crash.
The defendant admitted to breaking the speed limit but denied the more serious charges of negligent homicide and violating traffic laws by failing to act with caution and respect for other road users.
In addition to the prison sentence, the man has been stripped of his driving license for four years and ordered to pay the deceased’s family a total of 760,000 NOK in compensation.
According to the court’s ruling, the man ignored a warning about a malfunction with the ABS brakes on his trailer. He also failed to adjust his speed according to the prevailing road conditions.