On April 3, 2023, the North Holland District Court ruled in the case against Rai Vloet, who on Nov. 14 caused a collision on the A4 near Hoofddorp that killed a four-year-old boy. At the time of the accident, Vloet was under the influence of alcohol and was driving at a speed of 193 kilometers per hour, in a place where a maximum of 130 was allowed. The court's full ruling can be accessed at this link.
The court called Vloet's conduct extremely irresponsible and ruled that Vloet was guilty of causing a fatal accident due to recklessness, the most serious form of culpability. The court recognized that “the defendant's actions caused irreversible loss and immense suffering to the victim's next of kin” and realized that “no punishment can take away the grief and pain caused by the victim's death.”.
The court imposed a 2.5-year unconditional prison sentence and a 4-year disqualification. In its assessment, the court weighs, among other things, Vloet's trial attitude and the impact the media attention has (had) on his soccer career. Meanwhile, Vloet has appealed the court's ruling.
Mildred Brun and Arlette Schijns assist the bereaved in the criminal process.