73-year-old Audi driver crashes into truck near Salaspils

A severe traffic accident occurred near Salaspils involving a 73-year-old man driving an Audi, who crashed into a truck after pulling out in front of it on the main road.

The force of the impact was so strong that the doors on the driver's side of the car were badly deformed — the rear door was torn off, while the front door was crushed inward into the cabin. Firefighters at the scene had to pry open the car's doors to free the trapped driver.

Eyewitness account

The truck driver, identified by TV3's programme "Degpunktā" as Deniss, said the Audi driver suddenly pulled out and nearly stopped directly in front of his truck, leaving him almost no time to react. Around 20 metres of braking marks were left on the road after the collision.

The truck sustained relatively minor damage, while the Audi was severely damaged, particularly on the driver's side. A witness noted that an emergency medical crew happened to be driving right behind the vehicles involved at the time, allowing paramedics to reach the injured man almost immediately. However, accessing him proved difficult since the car's doors had jammed shut after the crash, and blood was visible inside the vehicle.

Medical response

Three medical teams, including a resuscitation vehicle, worked at the scene. Inga Vītola, a representative of the State Emergency Medical Service, said two crews treated the injured man simultaneously, one of them a specialist physician team, since he had sustained severe injuries and polytrauma. After receiving initial treatment at the scene, the man was taken to a medical facility in critical condition, accompanied by the specialist physician.