Pro footballer Vloet won't appeal conviction in drunk driving crash that killed boy, 4

The planned appeal in the criminal case against professional football player Rai Vloet was dropped, putting an end to the case after nearly three years. He was previously convicted and sentenced to 30 months in prison in connection with a collision on the A4 near Hoofddorp which killed Gio Roos, a four-year-old child from Zoetermeer.

Vloet withdrew his appeal against the conviction, confirmed his attorney, Alrik de Haas, on Monday. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) followed suit, deciding to withdraw its own appeal as well, said an OM spokesperson. The office had previously demanded a tougher sentence.

The 29-year-old midfielder was found to be heavily under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash on November 14, 2021. The speed limit at the location of the incident was 130 kilometers per hour, but Vloet was driving 193 kilometers per hour at the time of the crash. Vloet was driving with a friend when he crashed into another vehicle around midnight without braking.

During the trial, Vloet admitted to consuming a significant amount of alcohol at a party in Amsterdam before getting behind the wheel. He was convicted and sentenced to serve 2.5 years in prison by the District Court of Noord-Holland in Haarlem, which issued its verdict in April 2023. The court also imposed a four-year driving ban.

The sentence was one year shorter than the 42 months the public prosecutor had sought. The preliminary hearing in front of the Amsterdam Court of Appeals was due to be held on Thursday. Vloet’s lawyer said his client would offer a detailed response later but declined to comment further.

“With the defendant’s appeal withdrawn, and considering the interests of the victim’s family, the OM has decided not to continue with its appeal. This makes the court's ruling final,” an OM spokesperson added.

Vloet was playing for Heracles Almelo when the fatal crash took place. The club suspended him after it became evident that his involvement was more serious than previously disclosed.

In early 2022, he was transferred to FC Astana in Kazakhstan, and he played for FK Ural in Russia more recently. That team was relegated at the end of the season. Before joining Heracles, he played for Dutch clubs PSV, NAC Breda and Excelsior.