An hour-long large-scale operation on a motorway in Bavaria kept the police in suspense. The day after, the investigators can rule out a hostage situation. The accusation against a suspect is nevertheless serious.
Hilpoltstein – A 30-year-old man is accused of attempted manslaughter after a major operation on Autobahn 9.
The man is said to have injured two passengers in a coach on Tuesday with blows and kicks and made death threats, the police announced on Wednesday. However, the investigators ruled out a hostage-taking.
According to the police, the Serb is said to have suddenly attacked a 20-year-old who was sitting and sleeping in front of him. He is said to have thrown him on the floor and kicked him in the head several times. The 20-year-old came to the hospital, but was discharged on Wednesday night. In addition, the alleged perpetrator is said to have hit a 24-year-old in the face.
The incident had attracted a lot of attention on Tuesday evening: the police had spoken of a “threat situation” and a possibly armed man who was still in the coach with some people. After hours of large-scale operation and a complete closure of the motorway, special police forces arrested the suspect on the A 9 between Hilpoltstein and Greding without resistance.
A police spokesman said on Wednesday that there was no hostage-taking. The suspicion that the man was carrying a gun was also not proven. The spokesman said on Wednesday that the situation could not be clarified from the outside immediately on Tuesday evening. Passengers spoke of a threatening situation and also a weapon. However, there is no evidence that the 30-year-old has forcibly detained the bus drivers – who were last in the coach with him. Rather, the drivers stayed on the bus voluntarily.
According to the police, the possible motive of the 30-year-old was initially unclear. He has not yet been questioned. Statements about the motive could be given during the presentation to the investigating judge. So far there is no evidence that the man was under the influence of intoxicating substances, the police said.
There were eleven passengers and three bus drivers in the bus. He was on his way to Munich and, according to the police, should continue to Serbia. According to Serbian media reports, it is a bus from the Lasta company on the Dortmund-Belgrade line. These buses are mainly used by foreign workers and their relatives. According to the police, the passengers were looked after by emergency chaplains, they had been organized an overnight stay in a hotel and a replacement bus for the onward journey to Belgrade.
The Autobahn 9 between the Hilpoltstein and Greding junctions was completely closed in both directions. Traffic jams formed. The route was opened again at around 10.30 p.m. The traffic flowed again late on Tuesday evening. The railway line that runs along the motorway was also temporarily closed. dpa
