A man stopped cars on the A3 and attacked a woman. This is how she describes the dramatic scenes in court in Regensburg.
By André Baumgarten
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Marcu J. (left, name changed) has to answer in court after incidents on the A3 near Wiesenttal. Photo: André Baumgarten
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Wörth a.d. Do.If Maria V. (name changed) had already been on the way back from her sister, her children would have been in the car too. But she was alone when a 26-year-old tried to steal her Volkswagen on April 11 on the A3. “I was scared to death and just walked into the traffic,” the 39-year-old described the anxious minutes on the highway in court. She only got help after many unsuccessful attempts. On Monday in meeting room 101, she sat across from the man she remembered – even without Marcu J. (name changed) having removed his mouth and nose protection.
# Knocked on many windows unsuccessfully
# When she stopped in front of the man, she “didn’t dare to go any further” so as not to hit the 26-year-old. Then everything happened quickly: J. opened the car door through the window, dragged the woman out of the car and pushed her away. She fled and hoped “that someone would help me – it wasn’t that easy”. Only the sixth or seventh car offered her at least cover. The knock on the windows of the others was unsuccessful. After the man could not start the VW, he fled.
# This is also recorded in the application from the Regensburg public prosecutor’s office, which has been hearing before the fifth criminal division of the regional court since Monday. There was no end to the horror: Marcu J. left the A3, where he had got off a bus with his father, and walked along a cycle path next to the motorway. Johann R. (name changed) was to be the next victim. The then 77-year-old wanted to ride an eBike to Straubing.
# But his trip ended abruptly. The 26-year-old suddenly knocked the senior off his bike, grabbed it and drove away. After about 100 meters, however, he turned back and probably wanted his suitcase, which was still on the bike path. This is what the now 78-year-old said in court. Nothing happened to him, emphasized the witness. He also had no pain. However, the man cannot remember the first victim as well – he accepted the apology, like the 39-year-old before, even shaking the defendant’s hand.
# Right at the beginning he made a comprehensive confession and admitted all allegations. “I did not know what I was doing”, he explained and told of hallucinations “that Lucifer takes possession of me”. If he was restless, praying excessively, or insomnia, he would have plagued him. Before the breakout on the autobahn, he destroyed his cell phone and sank it in a lake. Symptoms that, according to the expert, speak for an acute mental disorder and schizophrenia. According to the application, the man was therefore not at fault.
# The 26-year-old is therefore on trial in what is known as a security procedure, which could result in permanent placement. Presiding judge Thomas Zenger, two other professional judges and the two lay judges have to decide on this. Marcu J. is charged with robbery, willful assault and assault and resistance against law enforcement officers. When he was arrested, the man resisted vehemently.
# Father also suffered from schizophrenia
# In addition to the two victims, police officers and the father of the 26-year-old, who was traveling from Baden-Württemberg, also testified on Monday. On April 11th, he got out of the car with his son in the Wiesenttal parking lot and had to watch helplessly what was happening in front of his eyes on the autobahn. Apparently the father also suffered from schizophrenia in the past, as he admitted in court. He was cured “for years”, but still takes medication to this day.
# The trial will continue on November 29th. The fifth criminal chamber is also planning the closing lectures by public prosecutor Daniel Killinger and lawyer Mathias Klose for this day. According to Zenger, police officers and the psychological expert should be heard beforehand. The verdict could then come on December 2nd.
Further articles from this section can be found under Regensburg.
