Althaus fined for negligent homicide
Thuringia’s state premier Dieter Althaus was convicted on Tuesday of negligent homicide and fined €33,300 for a skiing accident leaving one woman dead and him with a severe brain injury on New Year’s Day.
A district court in Irding, Austria also ordered the Christian Democrat (CDU) to pay €5,000 in damages to the victim’s husband.
Althaus, who still plans to run for re-election this summer, said after the ruling he accepted responsibility for the accident even though he can’t remember what exactly happened.
“It’s important to me that at least the material settlement with those surviving Beata Christandl isn’t delayed any longer,” he said in a statement. “I hope the speedy conclusion of the ski accident’s legal proceedings serves the interests of the relatives and the dignity of Ms. Christandl.”
Althaus suffered severe brain trauma when he collided with the 41-year-old Christandl at an intersection between two slopes at the Obersteiermark ski area two months ago. The Slovakian woman died of her injuries on the way to hospital. While she wasn’t wearing head protection, doctors have said Althaus probably survived because he was wearing a helmet.
His fellow conservatives said on Tuesday they planned to put Althaus first on the CDU's party list for Thuringia’s state election in August.
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A district court in Irding, Austria also ordered the Christian Democrat (CDU) to pay €5,000 in damages to the victim’s husband.
Althaus, who still plans to run for re-election this summer, said after the ruling he accepted responsibility for the accident even though he can’t remember what exactly happened.
“It’s important to me that at least the material settlement with those surviving Beata Christandl isn’t delayed any longer,” he said in a statement. “I hope the speedy conclusion of the ski accident’s legal proceedings serves the interests of the relatives and the dignity of Ms. Christandl.”
Althaus suffered severe brain trauma when he collided with the 41-year-old Christandl at an intersection between two slopes at the Obersteiermark ski area two months ago. The Slovakian woman died of her injuries on the way to hospital. While she wasn’t wearing head protection, doctors have said Althaus probably survived because he was wearing a helmet.
His fellow conservatives said on Tuesday they planned to put Althaus first on the CDU's party list for Thuringia’s state election in August.
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