Outrage as Greek Police Release Drunk Driver Who Later Caused Fatal Crash on Crete

A motorist who was found driving drunk and without a license in Crete was released by police, only to cause later a fatal crash that killed a 22-year-old resident.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage across Greece, with many questioning the lack of consequences for the driver and the police's failure to uphold the law.

The crash occurred in Chania, a town on the island, early on Saturday morning, resulting in the death of Panagiotis Karatzis. Local media reported that the suspect, whose identity was not revealed due to Greek law, was a well-known businessman on the island.

Greece’s Citizens’ Protection Minister, Michalis Chrisochoidis, condemned the police's actions, acknowledging the public outrage. He stated that “all necessary sanctions” would be taken against the officers involved. “It is clear that the law was not implemented,” Chrisochoidis said during an interview on Skai TV. “This is inexcusable,” he added, addressing the local societal norms that may have contributed to this failure.

Traffic police had stopped the driver on Friday night, where he failed an alcohol test. Police found that he was driving without a license, as it had previously been revoked due to a prior drunk driving offence. Despite being significantly over the alcohol limit and without a valid license, the man was not arrested but instead was issued a fine. His keys were handed to a sober passenger, but the driver later took them back and crashed into Karatzis' car.

Crete, which is infamous for its high rates of traffic accidents, adds to Greece’s ranking as one of the worst European Union countries for traffic-related deaths.

“Panagiotis won’t be the last victim,” said Karatzis’ father, Antonis, ahead of his son’s funeral. “Because the mentality hasn’t changed and will never change.”