Turek Blames Other Driver in Crash with Ambulance: "He Was Driving in the Oncoming Lane"

Police have officially opened an investigation into the traffic accident involving MP Filip Turek's Mercedes and a Škoda Fabia ambulance, which occurred on July 13. The case is being handled on suspicion of negligent bodily harm.

Since only the ambulance driver was injured in the collision — and was subsequently hospitalized — the suspicion of negligent bodily harm appears to be directed at Turek. The MP from the Motorists party did not respond to an inquiry from our editorial team on Wednesday, but earlier told TN.cz that he was confident the investigation would conclude in his favor. "I know the rules fairly well, and I think things will work out for me," he said.

Dispute Over the Severity of the Injuries

Turek said he has a recording of a conversation with the ambulance driver from the second day after the crash. According to him, the man was discharged from the hospital with nothing more than a scrape on his elbow. "I think someone convinced him to stay on sick leave longer, or maybe he genuinely felt unwell — I can't say for sure," the MP stated.

The relevant provision of the Criminal Code classifies bodily harm as a crime only if the injury requires medical treatment and results in more than seven days of incapacity to work. According to Turek's version of events, the injured driver initially planned to return to work but was allegedly talked out of it — either by colleagues or by his superiors.

Who Was Driving Where

The MP rejected the claim that the accident was caused by him entering a lane reserved solely for turning. He said the road markings at that location had long been ambiguous, and that road crews happened to be trying to fix them on the very day of the crash. "The accident happened before the point where the turning lane even begins, so that's irrelevant. For decades, that lane has functioned as both a straight-ahead and a turning lane at the same time," Turek said.

He identified the other driver's actions as the main cause of the collision. "The accident happened because that man was driving in the oncoming lane, along the tram tracks. The turn itself would have come much later," the MP claims. He reiterated that if police ask parliament for permission to prosecute him, he will not invoke parliamentary immunity. "I'm not hiding from anything," Turek added.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz