A US traveler has been found guilty of manslaughter by the District Court of South Iceland. The man, who has been identified as Carl Edward Siegel, was found guilty of causing a fatal car crash on the Ring Road in South Iceland om May 16. The accident took place west of Seljalandsfoss waterfall. An Icelandic woman in her 40s died in the head-on collision. She left behind a husband, two children and a grandchild.
Siegel was traveling in Iceland with two friends when the accident took place.
Read more: Local woman died in collision on Ring Road yesterday in S. Iceland. Three foreign travelers injured
Initially Siegel denied having caused the accident, claiming the woman was driving on the wrong side of the road, claiming her car was out of control. Police investigation revealed Siegel's account of the events leading to the crash was incorrect. He admitted in court that he caused the crash by driving in the wrong lane.
Read more: Court rules traveler involved in fatal car accident in S. Iceland barred from leaving country
Siegel plead guilty to the charges of having caused the accident by driving on the wrong side of the road and going 101 kmh (63 mph) where the speed limit is 90 kmh (56 mph). He had previously reached an agreement with the family of the woman on damages. According to the ruling Siegel's admission to guilt and the fact that he had reached an agreement with the family were mitigating factors. The court also argued that the accident has had a profound impact on the defendant, which should also be considered as a mitigating factor.
Siegel was sentenced to two months in prison. The sentence will be suspended if Siegel maintains a two year parole. His drivers license was revoked for ten months. Siegel was also sentenced to pay 2.8 million ISK (26,300 USD/22,600 EUR) for the court's and defense's expenses.
A US traveler has been found guilty of manslaughter by the District Court of South Iceland. The man, who has been identified as Carl Edward Siegel, was found guilty of causing a fatal car crash on the Ring Road in South Iceland om May 16. The accident took place west of Seljalandsfoss waterfall. An Icelandic woman in her 40s died in the head-on collision. She left behind a husband, two children and a grandchild.
Siegel was traveling in Iceland with two friends when the accident took place.
Read more: Local woman died in collision on Ring Road yesterday in S. Iceland. Three foreign travelers injured
Initially Siegel denied having caused the accident, claiming the woman was driving on the wrong side of the road, claiming her car was out of control. Police investigation revealed Siegel's account of the events leading to the crash was incorrect. He admitted in court that he caused the crash by driving in the wrong lane.
Read more: Court rules traveler involved in fatal car accident in S. Iceland barred from leaving country
Siegel plead guilty to the charges of having caused the accident by driving on the wrong side of the road and going 101 kmh (63 mph) where the speed limit is 90 kmh (56 mph). He had previously reached an agreement with the family of the woman on damages. According to the ruling Siegel's admission to guilt and the fact that he had reached an agreement with the family were mitigating factors. The court also argued that the accident has had a profound impact on the defendant, which should also be considered as a mitigating factor.
Siegel was sentenced to two months in prison. The sentence will be suspended if Siegel maintains a two year parole. His drivers license was revoked for ten months. Siegel was also sentenced to pay 2.8 million ISK (26,300 USD/22,600 EUR) for the court's and defense's expenses.
