Ageing rocker collided with cyclist, then drove off. Nothing to see here, police decide.
Investigators have shelved the case without even speaking to the main witness.
In May this year Jozef Ráž, the well-known lead singer of popular Slovak rock band Elán, was involved in a collision with a cyclist. Despite the law stating that in the event of an accident a driver must stop to check whether anyone has been hurt and if necessary call an ambulance, Ráž drove off.
When later confronted by a reporter from private broadcaster TV Markíza, Ráž admitted that there had been a collision. There was also a witness who saw at least some of the incident. Nevertheless, the police have now shelved the case, citing lack of evidence, reports the Sme daily.
However, it has emerged that the police did not even contact the witness, Jakub Tomiš, who at the time of the incident took to social media to describe how Ráž and the cyclist collided at a traffic light. The cyclist fell to the ground and Ráž went on without stopping.
However, neither Tomiš's nor Ráž's testimony is enough to determine who caused the accident.
When asked why he did not stop, Ráž said that he saw the cyclist fall in his rear-view mirror and it was immediately clear to him that he did not need help. Besides, he didn't want to exit the car because, he said, he is "very popular" and people want to take pictures with him.
Driving off could be considered fleeing the scene of an accident. According to the law, this attracts a fine of up to €1,300 or a driving ban of up to five years.
The Sme daily tried to contact the cyclist, but was unsuccessful.
According to police spokesman Michal Szeiff, "it was not possible to find out any facts indicating that a specific person committed the offence." The fact-finding period lasts a month from the time the police become aware of an offence. Tomiš confirmed for Sme that the police did not contact him about the matter.
Lawyer Denis Ali from the Jakub Mandelík law company points out that although it has been shelved, the case is not over and new facts must be taken into account. Since the proceeding is not public, it is not clear what evidence was obtained. If there is not enough evidence, there is no other option but to shelve a case.
Once two years have passed, the case will be definitively closed.
National cycling coordinator Peter Klučka expressed disappointment at the police's conclusion and thinks that such a conclusion to the case may encourage further arrogance by motorists.
Past controversy
Ráž and his fellow band members attracted adverse attention five years ago when they released a music video depicting, and apparently endorsing, the mock execution of journalists and photographers. It came just eighteen months after the actual murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová.
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