The District Prosecutor’s Office in Olsztyn has received the written justification for the verdict concerning Łódź-based lawyer Paweł K., who was sentenced in a final ruling to 1.5 years in prison for causing a crash that killed two people. Prosecutors have until June 6 to decide whether to file a cassation appeal against the sentence to the detriment of the convicted man. They are not ruling out such a move.
The crash involving attorney Paweł K. took place in September 2021 on the Barczewo–Jeziorany road in northeastern Poland’s Warmia-Masuria region. According to the indictment, while driving a Mercedes, the lawyer violated road safety rules, crossed a double solid line and entered the opposite lane. He caused an unintentional traffic accident by colliding with an oncoming Audi 80. As a result, the driver and passenger of the Audi were killed at the scene.
The fatal crash near Barczewo became widely known shortly afterward when Paweł K. recorded and published an online video statement. In it, he claimed the accident had been a confrontation between a safe car and a “coffin on wheels,” suggesting that was one of the reasons the women died. The remarks, shared on social media platforms, sparked public outrage.
On March 5, the District Court in Olsztyn issued a final verdict sentencing Paweł K. to 1.5 years in prison for unintentionally violating road safety regulations, resulting in a crash that killed two women. The court thereby reduced the original sentence of two years in prison imposed by the lower court. It also shortened his driving ban for all motor vehicles from five years to four.
Prosecutors Analyzing Possible Cassation Appeal
However, the case may not be over yet. Daniel Brodowski, spokesperson for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Olsztyn, said on Friday that prosecutors had received the written justification for the final judgment.
“The prosecutor is currently analyzing it. We have until June 6 to prepare, draft and file a cassation appeal, if such a decision is made,” Brodowski stated.
In mid-March, the District Court in Olsztyn, where the lawyer’s trial had been conducted, ordered police to place the convicted man in prison. After he was not found at his place of residence, the court issued a nationwide wanted notice.
On May 7, 2026, Paweł K. was detained by police near Hrubieszów, close to Poland’s eastern border. He was subsequently transferred to the prison facility in Hrubieszów.
His further fate will now be decided by a penitentiary commission. Only after its assessment will authorities determine whether he will remain in Hrubieszów or be transferred to another prison facility.