Seven years in prison for delivery driver who killed man in hit-and-run

A 19-year-old was sentenced to seven years in prison plus time in a mental hospital on Monday for purposefully hitting a man with his delivery truck after an argument on November 24, 2020.

Delivery driver Tarik O. hit a 42-year-old man with this truck at the end of last year in Wijchen in Gelderland after the 42-year-old complained about how fast the 19-year-old was driving. The two got into a verbal argument, during which O. claimed he was called a “kanker Marokaan”.

After O. was pushed by the victim he got into his delivery truck and sped towards the 42-year-old who was trying to take a picture of the license plate. The victim landed on the hood of the truck and was dragged for several meters under the bus.

“You used your car as a weapon”, a judge said. “It is incomprehensible that a verbal argument could lead to these horrible actions.

The 42-year-old died at the scene in front of the eyes of his relatives. The suspect fled the scene but was arrested shortly after.

O. was sentenced for manslaughter and for fleeing the scene afterward. “You did not brake or step off the gas at any moment, although the victim was on your hood”, the judge said during the sentencing.

The family of the victim told Omroep Gelderland they are happy with the sentence. “We are very glad that he got sent to a psychiatric hospital because we know that we will stay locked up. We are now rid of the feeling that we will soon see him on the streets again.”