A police car escorting the motorcade with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, collided with a van on Thursday around 8 p.m. Four people were injured: two policemen, van driver and a pedestrian hit by the police car pushed to the pavement. The woman aged around 70 has been already dismissed from the hospital.
The moment of the accident of the police car leading the motorcade with the Secretary General of NATO was recorded by a Kontakt 24 user.
On the video shared by Michal213, we can see cars standing on Hynka street. They have a red light. At some point, the motorcade enters the junction, along Żwirki i Wigury street, headed towards the centre. It is composed of ten cars in total. The cars have the roof lights on. The video does not settle whether the sirens were also on.
It can be seen on the video that just before entering the junction, the first police car slows down but it is overtaken by another one. When the latter leaves the junction (now as the first one in the column), its side is hit with a great force by a van driving along Sasanki street towards Krakowska avenue. The van turns over, the police car hit by it ends up on the pavement where it hits a pedestrian lightly.
After the accident, the motorcade slows down for several seconds and then continues ahead.
This begs the question of why the police did not opt to shut down large junctions on the motorcade’s route. The Warsaw Police Headquarters responds that this was the VIP convoy scenario indicated by the Government Protection Bureau.
– It provided for including three police cars. One at the back, one in the front and the so called flirt, whose task is to drive at the very top and enable the motorcade to drive safely – Rafał Retmaniak of the Warsaw Police Headquarters’ press section explains.
We inquired the Government Protection Bureau about the reasons for choosing such a scenario. We are waiting for the reply.
The police car escorting the motorcade with the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, collided with a van on Thursday around 8 p.m. Four people were injured: two policemen, van driver and a pedestrian hit by the police car pushed to the pavement. The woman aged around 70 has been already dismissed from the hospital.
The police are investigating the circumstances of the accidents. – Tests must be conducted, the vehicles will be secured and experts will check them in a lab. They will also check which car hit which. A car accident expert will be also appointed - Rafał Retmaniak of the Warsaw Police Headquarters’ press section explained.
Meanwhile, one of the witnesses said on the air at TVN24 that "the policeman entered [the junction] on a red light, 100 per cent sure".
Źródło: tvnwarszawa.pl/tłumaczenie Intertext.com.pl