SUV driver from motorway D6 downplays attack on mother: "A scuffle, not a beating"
The driver of a black SUV who attacked a woman on D6 in front of her daughter has spoken publicly for the first time. He apologises, but attributes part of the blame to the woman who was attacked.
Attacker from D6 speaks publicly for first time: woman allegedly provoked him, police dispute his version
The driver of the black SUV whose attack on a woman on motorway D6 was captured by a dashboard camera has spoken publicly for the first time — and is downplaying the incident. According to Blesk.cz, the man told television Nova in an interview that he behaved inappropriately, but at the same time accused the female driver who was attacked of provocation and claimed she bears part of the blame for the incident.
The attack occurred last week on motorway D6 near Jesenice in the Rakovnicko region. A woman was driving her eight-year-old daughter and was travelling through a section with reduced speed due to construction work. A SUV driver appeared behind her car, began flashing his lights and eventually cut her off. He then physically attacked her directly in front of the child.
The man has his own interpretation of events. He claims that the woman prevented him from overtaking and braked several times in the narrowed section — he was even afraid of an accident, he says. He therefore began flashing and gestured at her to stop so he could resolve the situation and call police. Instead, according to him, he received "a finger gesture", which he considered a further provocation.
Police investigation, however, disputes his version. According to officers, footage from the dashboard camera confirms that the woman drove smoothly within the speed limit and adhered to the prescribed speed. It was the SUV driver who behaved dangerously.
The man significantly downplays the physical attack in his statement. "We started to scuffle, I wouldn't call it a beating," he said. Police, however, described blows to the head and other parts of the body. After the incident, the attacked woman was placed on sick leave and, according to police, she and her daughter suffered severe psychological trauma from the attack.
The eight-year-old girl played a crucial role in securing evidence. When the man noticed the dashboard camera, he allegedly attempted to seize it. The girl managed to hide the device under the seat, thereby preserving the recording. The driver later described how the man came into physical contact with her daughter whilst attempting to obtain the camera.
The driver now faces suspicion of three criminal offences — attempted grievous bodily harm, disorderly conduct and attempted theft. Police are investigating the case in abbreviated preliminary criminal proceedings. The man faces up to three years' imprisonment. The case has provoked outrage across the Czech Republic.
Source: Blesk.cz