Two young children seriously injured in accident in Malle: driver under the influence of drink and drugs.
Malle
Sunday January 21, 2024 at 7:14 PM
Two children aged 8 and 9 were seriously injured in a serious accident in Malle on Sunday afternoon. The young victims were in a car that was hit from behind, the driver of the second car tested positive for alcohol and drug use.
The accident happened around 4:30 p.m. “On the Antwerpsesteenweg in Malle, a father with two children in the car was reversing from a driveway. Just at that moment, a car drove on the same road in the direction of Sint-Antonius (Zoersel),” says spokesperson Stefanie Verstappen of the local police Voorkempen.
The impact of the accident must have been enormous. Several neighbors speak of a loud bang. The car was dragged about 50 meters, crashed into a lamp post and only came to a stop four houses away. “The two children, an 8-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl, were seriously injured. They were rushed to the Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) in Edegem,” said Verstappen. The children are not in mortal danger. Their father was slightly injured.
Wave goodbye
According to neighbors, the family has only lived in Malle for a few years. “The mother of the two children saw everything happen. She was supposed to stay home to look after their youngest child and saw the accident happen while waving goodbye,” says one of the closest neighbors dejectedly. The neighbors immediately notified the emergency services and the police also quickly arrived on the scene.
“The driver of the car that collided, a man in his forties, tested positive for drugs and alcohol,” says Verstappen. His driver’s license was immediately revoked. The passenger in the second car suffered minor injuries. How exactly the accident happened and whether excessive speed was involved is being further investigated. The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office has appointed a traffic expert.
Both cars were no longer drivable and had to be towed. During the handling of the accident, only alternating traffic was possible on the Antwerpsesteenweg. The roadway was reopened just after 8:30 p.m.
The two children in the car were seriously injured. — © BFM
The car backed out of the driveway and was struck by an oncoming vehicle. — © BFM
The driver of the second car appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs. — © BFM
© BFM
(jtp)