Driver sentenced to three years in prison for high-speed chase from Lokalahti to Turku

A driver who fled from Lokalahti to Turku has been sentenced to three years in prison. The ruling was issued on Friday by the District Court of Varsinais-Suomi. The heavily intoxicated driver escaped in February 2023 in a personal vehicle, leading police on a high-speed chase that lasted an hour.

During the escape, the driver created numerous dangerous situations, colliding with other vehicles. According to the court, the individual engaged in gross endangerment of traffic safety. The chase ended in downtown Turku, where police attempted, unsuccessfully, to stop the vehicle. The driver crashed into a police car, resulting in injuries to an officer inside.

The 31-year-old man was convicted of assault in connection with this incident. Near Auransilta, he crashed into two other vehicles, causing injuries to two occupants. He was also convicted of causing bodily harm in relation to this incident. Just before that crash, the driver narrowly missed hitting a pedestrian crossing the street.

The attempt to charge him with attempted homicide was linked to this incident. The court noted that the driver exceeded the speed limit, reaching a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour. His blood alcohol content was measured at 1.3 promille after the incident, leading to a conviction for severe drunken driving. The defendant admitted to all other crimes except for attempted homicide. The sentence is not yet final.