Police identify man killed in Þrengslavegur crash

Police have identified a man who died in a car crash on Þrengslavegur road on the evening of Sunday, July 26, mbl.is reports.

Identifying the man and locating his relatives initially proved unusually difficult. Police therefore obtained a court order to carry out a forensic autopsy to determine the cause of death.

“His relatives came and identified him, so there is no longer any doubt about who the man is,” Þorsteinn M. Kristinsson, chief superintendent with the South Iceland Police, told mbl.is.

He said the autopsy was not conducted to establish the man’s identity, but to determine the cause of death. Relatives must authorise an autopsy unless a court grants permission. Because the relatives had not yet come forward, police initially sought authorisation from the courts. The relatives later came forward and also gave permission, he said.

The investigation is continuing, including whether the driver may have been guilty of negligent homicide. A court ruling states that the driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle, which then left the road and overturned.

Police had difficulty identifying the man because a passport handed over by a third party and said to belong to the deceased had been reported stolen before the crash.