Man says he didn't know kids were present when he crashed into school

Michel K. did not know that anyone was present in special primary school 't Palet in Grootebroek when he crashed his car into the school building in July, the 55-year-old man's lawyer said during the first preliminary hearing against K. in the court in Haarlem on Monday, AD reports.

K. crashed his car into the special education school on July 1., ending up with the car in the hallway of the building. Parents, pupils and teachers were in the building at the time, watching group 8's final musical. No one was injured.

The Public Prosecution Service charged K. with attempted murder, vandalism, and death threats.

In court, K. said that he "had no plans to harm people". He did not know anyone was inside the building. "I have nothing against those people."

Why he decided to crash into the building, remains unclear. All his lawyer would say is that in the eyes of his client, there was not conflict with the school.

Jan Berkum, chairman of the Trigoon Foundation which covers 't Palet, previously also said that there was no major conflict with the man. But he added that K. was angry because his son was no longer in the same class as his best friend.