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Scene of the accident in Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Photo: Paul Zinken / dpa
The cyclist who was critically injured in an accident with a concrete mixer in Berlin is dead. The police and public prosecutor announced this on Friday.
The 44-year-old died in hospital on Thursday evening.
According to the police, the woman had previously been declared brain dead.
The accident caused a nationwide stir and discussion.
According to the fire brigade, a special vehicle that was supposed to help free the injured person under the truck was stuck in a traffic jam on the city highway.
This is said to have been triggered by an action by the climate protest group »Last Generation«.
The police are therefore investigating two blockers, a 63-year-old and a 59-year-old, for failing to provide assistance or for the disability of people providing assistance.
According to the police, the activists had stuck to a sign bridge on the A100.
ordered autopsy
After the cyclist's death, the accusation of negligent homicide would also be considered, said a spokeswoman for the Berlin public prosecutor's office.
An autopsy of the 44-year-old's body will be ordered to clarify what specifically led to her death.
An essential point is the question of causality and who is responsible for what, the spokeswoman explained.
The Berlin fire brigade assumes that the woman's rescue was delayed by several minutes because the special vehicle was stuck in traffic.
However, a spokesman admitted that the formation of a rescue lane was also problematic.
Since the technology was not available, the rescuers at the scene of the accident had to improvise, according to the fire department.
This led to delays.
The fire brigade did not provide any information as to whether this had an impact on the health of the cyclist.
The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" reported, citing an internal note from the fire brigade, that the traffic jam had no effect on the rescue of the injured cyclist, according to the emergency doctor treating her.
Accordingly, the emergency doctor was able to care for the woman unhindered.
In addition, the doctor decided that the concrete mixer should not be raised.
Berlin's governing mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) expressed her sadness.
She also said that it is now up to the police and the courts to clarify to what extent the activists are to blame for the fact that the accident victim could not be helped more quickly.
The Green Transport Senator Bettina Jarasch said: "Climate protests must not endanger people."
The "Last Generation" group expressed their condolences to the cyclist's relatives.
"We are shocked," spokeswoman Carla Hinrichs said on Friday.
At the same time, the group announced that it would continue: "The federal government should end our protest - now that it gets the crisis under control.
Until then, the resistance will continue,” it said in a statement.
After the accident, the tone has sharpened in response to the actions of the climate protest group.
Numerous politicians are calling for tougher action, and climate activists are increasingly being attacked on social networks.
The »Last Generation« said: »Whatever public hate speech we may face as people will not prevent us from doing the only morally right thing: not to remain in an all-important crisis, but to get going.«
While rescue workers were taking care of the woman on Monday, an unknown attacked the 64-year-old concrete mixer driver with a knife.
After escaping, the attacker was arrested on Wednesday evening.
wit/dpa/AFP
