A serious accident at a store in Vecmilgrāvis, Riga, resulted in severe injuries for three people. Preliminary information suggests that the BMW driver confused the pedals while parking and ran over people near the building wall.
A Saturday at the store on Baltasbaznīcas Street in Vecmilgrāvis turned into the scene of a serious accident, reports the Degpunktā program (TV3). A BMW car crashed into three people who were near the store wall. All the victims survived, but their injuries were extremely serious.
Witnesses describe screams, blood, and panic immediately after the impact. A store employee admitted that she dropped a bag of potatoes from her hands in shock.
“There was a man lying there, half of his leg was torn off,” the saleswoman said.
Three medical teams and a specialized medical team, which is called in particularly severe cases, arrived at the scene.
According to Inga Vitola, a representative of the Emergency Medical Service, all three victims—a woman and two men—sustained serious injuries and multiple traumas.
“After receiving assistance at the scene, all the victims, in hemodynamically stable condition, were transported to a medical facility,” she noted.
One of the victims was a friend of local resident Ivars. According to him, the man's condition remained serious after the accident.
“My friend is still fighting in the hospital; it was quite difficult for him yesterday,” he said.
According to witnesses, the accident occurred while the driver was reversing out of a parking space. It is presumed that the driver confused the pedals, causing the car to accelerate sharply and pin the people against the wall.
“The old man was parking and mixed up the pedals,” Ivars said.
He also believes that elderly drivers should undergo a retest of their driving skills.
“I think that after 60, you should retake the driving test. This is necessary so that we all feel safer,” he added.
People were particularly shaken by the fact that this happened in broad daylight near a store where children could have been present.
The 64-year-old BMW driver was detained by the police after the accident. No alcohol was found in his system, and his driver's license was valid.
The State Police have initiated a criminal case under the article on traffic violations that resulted in serious bodily harm. The driver has been assigned the status of a suspect, with the measure of restraint not involving deprivation of liberty.
For such a crime, the law provides for a punishment of up to eight years in prison.
The accident in Vecmilgrāvis has reignited discussions about parking safety, driver reactions in emergencies, and the need for additional checks for elderly motorists.
