Serious traffic accident with three dead – 18-year-old is said to have driven without a valid driver's license

After the serious traffic accident with three fatalities on the federal highway 87 near Eilenburg in northern Saxony on Thursday, an 18-year-old driver is now being investigated. As the police reported on Friday, according to the current state of knowledge, the man did not have a valid driver's license. "The traffic accident service is investigating negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm, endangering road traffic and suspected driving without a license," it said.

According to the police, the 18-year-old drove on Thursday at around 10.45 a.m. on Bundesstraße 87 in the direction of Torgau. Shortly after exiting federal highway 107, for reasons that were initially unclear, he got into the oncoming lane and collided sideways with a car driving in the direction of Leipzig. As a result, the 18-year-old's car was thrown back onto the roadway and then against the opposite guardrail. Two following vehicles – a Kia and a Mitsubishi, which were traveling in the direction of Torgau – first collided with each other as a result of the accident and then against the crash barrier or against the 18-year-old’s car. The Mitsubishi also collided with a truck in oncoming traffic.

According to the police, the 72-year-old driver of the Kia and his 71-year-old passenger died at the scene of the accident. A 68-year-old occupant of the Mitsubishi also died from her injuries. The 64-year-old driver of the Mitsubishi and two other occupants (male, 67, and female, 63) were seriously injured. The 18-year-old, who is now being investigated, also suffered serious injuries, according to the police. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals and hospitalized. The driver of the truck, who was slightly injured, was treated as an outpatient.

The amount of the total damage is not yet known. Experts examined the scene of the accident on Friday morning. The closure is expected to last until midday, police said.