Woman denies intentionally driving into man in fatal hit and run

A woman who caused a fatal collision after a traffic quarrel in Ede on Saturday afternoon has denied that she acted with intention, according to De Gelderlander.

The 36-year old killed a 64-year old man from Gaanderen but blamed the collision on her state of panic. The man, who was hit in a parking lot in the center of Ede, died in hospital later that night from his injuries. The suspect is being accused of manslaughter.

The argument had broken out after the woman damaged the headlights of the man’s van. She refused to fill out insurance claims, according to witnesses. Consequently, the victim wanted to call the police. This triggered the woman to become angry and run him over with her car.

In contrast, the suspect gave a very different story to the police. She claimed that she indeed resisted filling in the insurance claim forms. However, she said that while she was in the car another young man banged angrily on the windows of her gray Ford Fiesta. Out of panic and acting on impulse, she hit and killed the driver of the van accidentally.

Police are currently investigating the truth behind her claim. The initial investigation suggested the woman had hit the victim intentionally. Police have spoken to as many witnesses as possible and are still urging more to come forward.

The community in Ede are commemorating the victim, who was described by those who knew him as a “topper”, by laying flowers and candles at the site where he was hit, according to Omroep Gelderland. "We are here to express our grief," said Robert Fennema who works for the Salvation Army, where the victim was also employed. "We are stunned and defeated. We want to express this with the employees and residents of our location in Lunteren.”

"This is terrible," the Deputy Mayor of Ede, Leon Meijer, described ."Our eyes are focused on all the misery we see happening in Ukraine and then something like this happens in your municipality; That someone could die senselessly."

The suspect remains in custody. Police will question her again soon. She will be brought before the examining magistrate tomorrow.