76-year-old man receives treatment order over Copenhagen crash

DR reports that a 76-year-old man has been given a treatment order after a serious traffic crash in central Copenhagen injured 17 people, three of them seriously.

The Copenhagen City Court found that he should have realised, because of illness and physical deterioration, that he should not have been driving when the crash occurred near Dronning Louises Bro in April 2025.

The court convicted him of negligent bodily injury under particularly aggravating circumstances and reckless driving. Some of those injured still have permanent impairments around a year and a half after the crash.

The man will lose his driving licence, and the car will be confiscated. He has asked for time to decide whether to appeal.

Dementia diagnosis changed prosecution’s demand

The prosecution initially sought a prison sentence. However, a psychiatric assessment prepared for the case found that the man had frontal lobe dementia after the crash and had also been affected by the illness when it occurred.

The court therefore could not impose an ordinary prison sentence. The prosecution instead requested a treatment order, which the court issued. DR is not naming the man because he is considered mentally ill.

Before the court retired to deliberate, the man acknowledged what had happened. He said he had gone into shock after first hitting a barrier and then striking several people near Sortedam Dossering.

He said he had been unable to act responsibly at the time and deeply regretted the consequences, particularly for those who suffered permanent injuries. He said causing harm had not been his intention.