Deadly car racing in Hamm: 21-year-old passenger dies!

A fatal accident occurred on December 23, 2024 in Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, as a 21-year-old man who was in a BMW as a passenger. The accident took place one day before Christmas Eve in the Bockum-Hövel district on Warendorfer Straße. An 18-year-old driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a fence and a lantern. In the incident, another five young men were involved in the accident, including two occupants, which were also seriously injured.

police and public prosecutor's office in Dortmund have started the investigation because there is suspicion of an illegal car race. The BMW driver and two other inmates aged 18 and 19 were taken to the hospital after the accident. The driver of an audis, also 18 years old and from Hamm, is considered a suspected participant in the race, but was not injured. Two unknown passengers in the BMW are now being sought to clarify the exact course of the accident.

Investigations and punishments

The Warendorfer Straße was blocked for the accident reconstruction until the early morning hours of the following day. Both of the vehicles involved and several mobile phones were confiscated by the police. In addition, the driver's licenses of the drivers involved were confiscated and a blood sample was taken from the BMW driver. The investigation continues.

The police also provide information about the definition of an illegal car racing: a competition between at least two participants at high speeds, characterized by simultaneous starts, common stage destinations and risky driving style. When participating in such races, sensitive punishments threaten that can be enough for fines of up to ten years in the event of a death. The police asks all eyewitnesses of the incident to report to information.