The tragedy that shook Lithuania 15 years ago: 3 minors and 4 adults died due to the fault of a drunk driver

After the Renault Clio driven by Rimos M. hit the SUV Jeep Grand Cherokee, the latter became out of control, then the car ended up in the oncoming traffic lane and did not avoid a fatal confrontation with the tractor.

In this terrible accident, seven people were killed in the SUV – four adults and three young girls. The dead were from two families who were attending baptisms.

Miraculously, only the SUV driver survived. The person driving the tractor got scared, and Rimas M. and his fellow passenger, who was also drunk, escaped serious injuries.

Circumstances of the accident

Rimas M. was convicted for the fact that in 2009 February 21, around 11 p.m., 37 km of the Marijampolė-Kybartai-Kaliningrad road, Vilkaviškio district. sav., Virbali mstl., while carelessly driving a passenger car, even violated several road traffic rules.

He was driving under the influence of alcohol (severe drunkenness) and when his special right to drive a car was revoked. Rimas M. did not observe all necessary safety measures for a road user in order not to endanger the safety of other road users.

He did not choose a safe driving speed (exceeded the speed limit of 50 km/h, driving at a speed of 68-100 km/h – auto post), so he could not stop the vehicle in time when he noticed an obstacle in front of him.

Rimo M.’s Renault collided with the rear right side of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was moving slower in front. The latter lost its movement stability after this collision and slid into the oncoming traffic lane, where it collided with the Renault Magnum Privilege 430 tractor.

Seven passengers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee died on the spot during this traffic accident. Three of them were little girls. They were just 3, 4 and 12 years old.

Blamed the victims

Rimas M. behaved extremely cynically during court hearings. He said the 10-year sentence was too harsh. He claimed that he was very sorry for the careless crime he had committed, but he emphasized that he did not have the opportunity to apologize to the victims, and he could not and would not be able to compensate for the damage caused.

In his testimony, he did not seek to mitigate his situation and avoid responsibility. According to Rimos M., his negative characteristics and administrative law violations were caused by inappropriate life circumstances.

As if that were not enough, Rimas M. stated in the Supreme Court of Lithuania that a significant part of the blame should fall on the people driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Allegedly, the courts did not take into account the fact that the Jeep Grand Cherokee was carrying more passengers than allowed, and there were no special seats for children, they were not wearing seat belts, and the driver of the SUV slipped into the oncoming traffic lane while braking the car.

Such arguments of Rimos M., with which he sought to mitigate the sentence imposed on him, were rejected as unfounded.

The fact that the convict’s personality was characterized negatively was also taken into account. His conviction for intentional crimes did not disappear, he was punished thirteen times for violations of administrative law, which had become an integral part of Rimos M.’s life.