A man who steered his car onto a sidewalk in the coastal town of Drøbak Sunday afternoon has been charged with reckless driving. Police don’t think he acted intentionally and were awaiting results of blood tests.
Eight people were injured, four of them seriously, in the crash that ended with several of the victims needing to be airlifted by helicopter to Oslo University Hospital’s emergency room at Ullevål. “Our investigation is pointing towards human error” on the part of the driver, police inspector Bente Elisabeth Gerner told state broadcaster NRK on Monday.
Among those injured were a mother and her baby plus other children. Some were sitting at an outdoor café when the man’s car drove onto the sidewalk, also causing serious damage to the historic café building. There were many summer visitors and residents in downtown Drøbak when the accident occurred, and local officials set up a crisis team.
“This is a tragic accident and many people were gathered in the town center,” said Hans Kristian Raanaas, mayor of the surrounding Frogn municipality. “We’re opening the doors of the local city hall for anyone wanting or needing to talk to professionals.”
NewsinEnglish.no staff
