Suche
Mein Konto
Tragic start to the year: Police officer dies in New Year's Eve accident in Selbitz
On New Year's Eve 2026, a 25-year-old police officer died in an accident in Selbitz, Upper Franconia. Cause of accident unknown.
Tragic start to the year: Police officer dies in New Year's Eve accident in Selbitz
On New Year's Eve on January 1, 2026, a tragic accident occurred on federal highway 173 near Selbitz, which shocked the police community in Bavaria. A 25-year-old police officer, who was a passenger in a patrol car, lost his life in a head-on collision with an SUV. The driver of the police vehicle, a 20-year-old, suffered serious injuries, as did the 42-year-old driver of the SUV, who was also taken to hospital. Again Mercury reported, the cause of the accident is still unclear and is currently being investigated by a report from the public prosecutor's office.
The impact was so violent that the police vehicle was torn apart. This shocking news not only deeply affected the relatives of the deceased, but also the entire Bavarian police force, who shared their grief on social media with the hashtag #einervonuns and dedicated their thoughts to the bereaved.
New Year's Eve: A look at the events in Bavaria
However, the incident in Selbitz was not the only sad event on New Year's Eve in Bavaria. According to a report by the South German newspaper The balance of the night's celebrations worsened due to further incidents. In Upper Bavaria, the police had to use their weapon to stop a 33-year-old who was threatening rescue workers. The tense situation led to numerous smaller operations due to burning garbage cans, hedges and garages in various parts of the state.
Overall, the New Year's Eve was peaceful, but authorities still reported several injuries and even deaths from illegal fireworks. The daily news reported at least five deaths and over 400 arrests in Berlin due to crimes related to the celebrations. Here too, the fireworks left a painful footnote.
In Munich, for example, there were 710 police operations, including many due to fireworks and physical injuries. According to police, emergency services were also attacked in Cologne, resulting in two officers being injured. There has been a debate in many cities about the safety of fireworks and the need for bans, while pyrotechnics associations shift this responsibility onto the illegal trade.
The tragedy in Selbitz and the many other incidents all over Bavaria show that the turn of the year was not carefree for everyone. It is hoped that future celebrations can be made safer to avoid further such painful losses.