Fmr. politician suffered 15 broken bones after woman pulled him off his bicycle
Five weeks after a brutal cycling crash put him in the hospital, Sander Dekker, the former minister of legal protection, returned home on Friday. Dekker, 47, was on his racing bike in the dunes along the coast near Monster, Zuid-Holland, when a woman allegedly grabbed his arm, yanking him off his bicycle.
“Fall and rise. That's life. Well, at least that of a cyclist,” Dekker said on Instagram. “Every day it gets a little better. That gives you courage. The fifteen fractions are slowly but surely growing back together. And with some rest, the head also becomes more and more clear.”
Dekker was stabilized at the scene after the incident on June 7, and then he was rushed to the hospital. His injuries included a broken pelvis, broken collarbone, and broken ribs.
Witnesses said a 42-year-old woman from Monster caused the crash by grabbing his arm. The suspect’s actions were not believed to be politically motivated, but rather an angry reaction to Dekker’s behavior on the road.
She was arrested on allegations that she caused the accident. She is suspected of either inflicting serious bodily harm, or assault resulting in serious injury. She was released from pre-trial detention a few days after the arrest, but was not cleared of suspicion in the case.
Dekker praised the staff at the HagaZiekenhuis, a hospital in The Hague, and the Basalt rehabilitation center. He also thanked the public for sending cards, gifts, and flowers. “The support was overwhelming and felt like an encouragement to work on recovering.” He said he hopes to soon get back up on his bike.
Dekker also hurt himself in a cycling crash in 2013 when he tried to avoid a collision with a dog. He also broke his collarbone, elbow, wrist and a rib in that incident, ANP reported. Two years later, he crashed during a holiday in Spain, breaking his hip.