Obstacles on SBB track in Wiesendangen: District Court of Winterthur delivers judgements
Two men were convicted after they stacked objects on SBB tracks in 2023, causing trains to derail. A train carrying 100 passengers had to be evacuated.
Judgements following track blockades near Wiesendangen: 12 and 24 months conditionally suspended
On 19 February 2023, four juvenile teenagers and a man aged 31 at the time broke into a barn near Wiesendangen railway station. According to the NZZ, they dragged out scooters, shovels, lorry tyres, plastic barrels, waste bins and construction barriers, piling everything onto an SBB track.
Shortly before 21:30, the Interregio train from Lucerne to Constance travelling at approximately 110 km/h struck the obstacles. The locomotive was lifted slightly off the rails and triggered an automatic emergency brake. No one was injured, but the approximately 100 passengers had to be evacuated. The track was closed for four hours. According to the prosecution's indictment, property damage amounted to 141,369 francs and 15 centimes.
Motorcycle already placed on the rails the previous night
The evening before, three of those involved—two juveniles and the adult—together with a man aged 18 at the time lifted a 97 kilogramme motorcycle onto the track. A passenger train also travelling at 110 km/h struck the vehicle. This train too had to be completely evacuated, and the track remained unusable for several hours afterwards. During that same night, those charged also vandalised a building site and damaged a roller.
The four juveniles were dealt with by the public prosecutor's office for young offenders in non-public proceedings. Before the District Court of Winterthur stood the main perpetrator, now 35 years old, and a co-accused now aged 22, who was already an adult at the time of the offence. Both are Swiss nationals.
Not a leader, but a follower
According to the court, the older of the two convicted men had no leadership role. He suffers from cognitive impairment due to a congenital defect. After losing his best friend in 2020, he joined a youth group in his neighbourhood and began consuming alcohol and drugs, as his defence counsel explained. A psychiatric report found him to be easily influenced.
In court, both accused made no statement regarding the charges. They stated they could no longer remember properly and had already said everything during the investigation. On the external course of events, they admitted guilt. Both insisted they felt ashamed of their actions.
The defence counsel argued that the accused had not expected passenger trains to be running—they had only anticipated freight trains at most. During the first night, the perpetrators were completely intoxicated. The 18-year-old at the time had participated because he thought it was funny when drunk; furthermore, peer pressure had played a role. One of the youths, who worked for SBB maintenance, allegedly assured the others several times, according to one defence counsel, that a train could not derail as a result.
Prosecutor demanded longer sentences
The prosecutor requested a conditionally suspended custodial sentence of 15 months for the 22-year-old and 24 months for the 35-year-old, to be suspended in favour of an ambulatory measure. The accused had recklessly endangered human lives and been indifferent to the possibility that passengers could have been harmed.
The District Court of Winterthur found both defendants fully culpable despite possible intoxication and the cognitive impairment of the older man. The 22-year-old, who was only involved on the first night, received a conditionally suspended custodial sentence of 12 months—for disruption of public transport with endangerment to life and limb, and property damage. The 35-year-old was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment, also for multiple offences as well as additional traffic-related violations. His sentence is suspended in favour of an ambulatory measure. Both are generally ordered to pay damages; the amount of the claims will be determined through civil proceedings.
"Anything but a youthful prank"
The court chairman emphasised in the judgement's reasoning that the offences were "anything but a youthful prank" and could have ended badly. Alcohol consumption provided an explanation but did not constitute grounds for a reduction in culpability. In the case of the 35-year-old, it was not alcohol but his immature personality that was the real problem.
Noteworthy was the lack of respect for others' property. Completely incomprehensible was also the fact that the perpetrators repeated the action despite the experience of the first night. Sentencing mitigation was granted to both for their confession and the lengthy proceedings.
Judgements DG26007 and DG26008 from 3 September 2025 are not yet final.
Source: NZZ