Prosecutor seeks prison for driver who plunged into Turku river

A prosecutor is seeking at least six months in prison for a young man accused of driving drunk and without a licence into the Aurajoki River in Turku in August 2025. Yle reported that the charges were read at the Southwest Finland District Court on Thursday.

The now 19-year-old faces charges of aggravated drink-driving, aggravated endangerment of traffic safety and driving without a licence. He admitted all the charges through his lawyer, but the defence argued that a suspended sentence would be sufficient. The court is expected to rule next week.

The crash happened early on a Monday morning. The car was travelling at up to 120 kilometres per hour through Mylly Tunnel, where the speed limit is 40, before leaving the road at the junction of Myllyahde and Itäinen Rantakatu. It broke through the railing of Mylly Bridge and plunged into the river.

During the crash, the car crossed a cycle path and struck the kerb of a pedestrian walkway. The three young adults inside escaped from the sinking vehicle. The driver had no licence and had a blood alcohol level of 1.66 per mille. A pedestrian narrowly avoided being hit.

Prosecutor Sara Rintamäki described the driving as “very dangerous and reckless”, saying the driver had accelerated into a dark tunnel with limited visibility. The incident took place in the early hours, when it was still completely dark, leaving those who ended up in the river at particular risk, she said.

The man did not attend an earlier scheduled hearing in August. For Thursday’s hearing, he was due to join remotely from Oulu District Court, but his lawyer said he did not know where his client was. The case proceeded in the defendant’s absence.

The court also considered the man’s previous record. The presiding judge said he had received five convictions this year, the first in February, and had been convicted of traffic offences committed after the crash. The prosecutor said his record supported a more severe sentence.

The defence said the incident reflected a young person’s thoughtlessness and was brief. His lawyer, Lauri Peltonen, said the man was unfamiliar with Turku and the tunnel, and argued that little traffic at night reduced the seriousness of the conduct. The defence also said earlier offences could have been dealt with together.

The Criminal Sanctions Agency assessed that the man was not suitable for community service because of difficulties with commitment. A March assessment described his life situation as unsettled. He had also been placed under supervision in connection with earlier suspended sentences. The defence asked for a new assessment and argued for a suspended prison sentence of three to four months.