Łukasz Ż. pleads guilty to causing deadly accident in Warsaw

The Warszawa-Śródmieście Prosecutor’s Office on Friday carried out procedural activities with the suspect Łukasz Ż.

Łukasz Ż. has been charged with causing a car accident on Trasa Łazienkowska on September 15 that resulted in the death of a passenger in another vehicle and serious injuries to passengers and the driver of that vehicle. At the time, he was driving a Volkswagen Arteon despite a driving ban and then fled the scene.

"The suspect admitted to the act attributed to him, refused to provide explanations, and declined to disclose information about his means of livelihood or maintenance," added Skiba.

The Local Court for Warszawa-Śródmieście upheld the prosecutor's request to maintain and extend the preventive measure of pre-trial detention for the suspect by three months.

Two of the three opinions regarding the secured post-accident digital data have been received. They concern the Volkswagen and the Ford. Based on these opinions, the speed and actions of the drivers during the five seconds preceding the collision were established.

"The Ford, in which the victim's family was traveling, was moving at a variable speed of 62 to 59 km/h in an area with a speed limit of 80 km/h, meaning it was traveling very safely," Skiba stressed.

"Łukasz Ż., driving the Volkswagen, was traveling at a speed increasing from 205 to 226 km/h," he specified.

He added that, according to the expert's opinion, between the fifth and first seconds before the collision, the gas pedal was fully pressed, causing rapid acceleration. Skiba noted that the expert did not find any signs of braking.

"Based on the obtained evidence, we know that Łukasz Ż. was holding a mobile phone shortly before the collision, recording his driving," the spokesman said. During his detention by German authorities, no phone was found on the suspect.

The prosecution is also investigating whether the suspect was under the influence of alcohol and whether he was racing another vehicle.

"We have not yet received toxicology reports or retroactive calculations that would allow us to determine whether Łukasz Ż. and the second suspect, the driver of the Cupra, were under the influence of alcohol at the time of driving," Skiba said.

However, there is footage from a Warsaw bar showing Łukasz Ż. drinking alcohol.

"The gathering began at 12:15 a.m. and ended at 1:00 a.m. During those 45 minutes, Łukasz Ż. drank eight shots of vodka, while his friend drank five. At 1:02 a.m., all participants of the gathering got into two vehicles and drove toward Praga. The accident occurred 15 minutes later," Skiba described the footage.

The prosecution is still awaiting several expert opinions, including those on traffic accident reconstruction, retrospective blood alcohol content analysis, and medical evaluations to classify the injuries of the victims.

"We do not rule out that after obtaining these, the charges against Łukasz Ż. may be amended. Currently, the suspect has been charged with offenses that were the basis of the European Arrest Warrant," the prosecution said.

Initially, Damian J. and Mikołaj N. were considered passengers in the VW Arteon. However, recent findings suggest that Damian J. and Mikołaj N. switched vehicles to mislead investigators about the identity of the VW driver and its passengers, and gave false testimony.

"Damian J. and Mikołaj N. arrived at the scene in a Cupra driven by Kacper K. They left this vehicle and then encouraged and facilitated the escape of the individuals in the VW, namely Sara S. and Adam K. It is likely that Łukasz Ż. left with them," the prosecutor's office reported.

The suspects reportedly met at Adam K.'s apartment, where he provided Łukasz Ż. with accommodation and a phone used for organizing further escape plans, Skiba explained.

Eight individuals have been detained as suspects in the case, with seven placed in pre-trial detention and one under police supervision.

Those who remained at the accident scene, Damian J., Maciej O., and Mikołaj N., as well as those who fled, Adam K. and Kacper K., were charged with failing to provide assistance and obstructing the investigation by aiding the perpetrator. All were placed in pre-trial detention.

Sara S. was charged with failing to provide assistance. Considering her lack of involvement in obstructing the investigation, she was placed under police supervision rather than pre-trial detention.

Aleksander G. was not present at the accident scene but allegedly assisted in handing over the Cupra belonging to Kacper K. to Łukasz Ż. He was charged with obstructing the investigation by aiding the perpetrator.

Łukasz Ż. was extradited to Poland based on a German court's approval under the European Arrest Warrant procedure. The Volkswagen, driven by Łukasz Ż. according to investigators, rear-ended a Ford, causing it to crash into traffic barriers. The Ford was carrying a family of four. A 37-year-old man died in the crash, while his 37-year-old wife and their children, aged four and eight, were hospitalized. A passenger in the Volkswagen was also injured.

Łukasz Ż. has been convicted multiple times for drunk driving, driving without a license, fraud, and drug possession. He has been banned from driving five times. Most of his sentences involved community service. He served an 11-month prison sentence for violating a court ban.

The latest verdict against Łukasz Ż., also for violating a driving ban, was issued less than two months before the accident by the District Court for Warsaw Praga-North. The court ruled that he must return to prison for one and a half years. However, the decision had not yet become final.