Accused driver in Turku river crash misses court hearing

A 19-year-old man accused of driving drunk and without a licence into the Aurajoki river in Turku did not attend his scheduled court hearing on Monday, Yle reported. The hearing at the Southwest Finland District Court was postponed after authorities were unable to reach him.

The man is charged with aggravated drunk driving, aggravated endangerment of traffic safety and driving a vehicle without a licence. He had been ordered to attend the hearing subject to a fine.

The court briefly discussed issuing an arrest order that would allow police to detain him if he was found and bring him to court. No order was issued, and a new hearing date will be arranged.

Car reached speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour

The crash happened early one Monday morning in August 2025. The car was travelling at a considerable speed through the Myllytunneli tunnel before leaving the road at the junction of Myllyahde and Itäinen rantakatu and breaking through the railing of Myllysilta bridge into the Aurajoki.

During its flight, the car crossed a pedestrian and cycle path and struck the stone paving on the river side of a walkway before hitting the water. Three young adults were inside the vehicle, and all escaped as it sank to a depth of approximately 1.5 metres.

The driver did not have a driving licence and had a blood alcohol level of 1.66 per mille at the time of the crash. He told police that the car had reached speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour in the tunnel, where the speed limit is 40 kilometres per hour. The man admitted to the offences under investigation.

Accused in several traffic offences

The man has been convicted of drunk driving, aggravated drunk driving and driving without a licence by the Oulu District Court in 2025. The offences took place over a period of a few months in 2024, when he recorded alcohol readings of just over one per mille and 1.6 per mille while driving.

The Päijät-Häme District Court has also convicted him of driving without a licence. He is now charged with the same offence before the Ostrobothnia District Court.

In addition, charges including aggravated drunk driving and endangering traffic safety are pending against him at the Helsinki District Court.

Six private individuals and the City of Turku corporate administration are complainants in the postponed Turku case. One of them is a witness who narrowly avoided being hit by the car.