North Rhine-Westphalia: car crashes into a taxi at an intersection: eight are injured

Gelsenkirchen (dpa / lnw) - Eight people were injured in a car accident in Gelsenkirchen, some seriously.

North Rhine-Westphalia: car crashes into a taxi at an intersection: eight are injured

Gelsenkirchen (dpa / lnw) - Eight people were injured in a car accident in Gelsenkirchen, some seriously. According to witnesses, a 31-year-old driver was driving at a very high speed late on Saturday evening, the police said. At an intersection, the driver noticed too late a taxi that had just stopped in front of a traffic light.

Despite emergency braking, the man crashed his car into the taxi in front, which was thrown into the intersection area by the force of the impact and hit a lamppost on the side. There were eight people in the two vehicles, six of whom were seriously injured. Including two children aged 19 months and eight years, who were in the 31-year-old's car. His 33-year-old passenger was also seriously injured.

The three passengers in the taxi were also taken to hospital with serious injuries. The car and the 50-year-old taxi driver escaped with minor injuries.

According to the police, the 31-year-old was suspected of being drunk and driving without a valid driver's license. Officials arrested him at the scene. The man is now facing criminal proceedings.