Sebastian M. trial proceeds as court rejects private expert testimony

On 28 July 2024, the District Court in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland, heard expert testimony in the criminal case against Sebastian M. for causing a fatal crash on the A1 highway near Sierosław. The court rejected a private expert report commissioned by the defence, deeming it unreliable and did not admit it as evidence.

The court‑appointed expert presented data from the vehicles’ black‑box recorders, indicating the BMW driven by Sebastian M. was traveling at more than 250 km/h – estimates suggest speeds over 300 km/h – while the Kia carrying a three‑person family was travelling straight at around 130 km/h. The data contradicts the defence’s claim that the Kia veered into the BMW’s lane. Sebastian M. faces up to eight years in prison. He had fled to the United Arab Emirates after the September 2023 crash and was returned to Poland in May 2025, remaining in custody pending trial.