"Amok runs" in Vienna

Passenger on public bus has four teeth knocked out

The 26-year-old before his criminal trial in Landl, Vienna.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Anja Richter, Peter Tomschi, Krone KREATIV)

Imagine getting on a bus and leaving it with four teeth missing. This is exactly what happened to a Viennese man. He was standing in the door area of line 13A when he received a punch out of nowhere. The perpetrator was put on trial on Thursday in Vienna's Landl district. It was not his first sudden outburst of violence.

A man of small stature is brought out of custody by two prison guards in Vienna's regional court. He appears inconspicuous, but was probably out and about in the city like a ticking time bomb.

On September 7, he "exploded" once again. "It was like a rampage. I've had it since I was a child, I keep having these attacks," the Slovakian admits in his trial. He is accused by the Vienna public prosecutor's office of, among other things, grievous bodily harm, grievous damage to property and making dangerous threats.

It was like a rampage. I've had this since I was a child, I get these kinds of fits all the time.

Der 26-Jährige zur Richterin

A video recorded by a passer-by speaks volumes. The man can be seen at the Volkstheater streetcar station. With his upper body exposed, he shouts: "I'm going to hit him." - Then he runs off and brutally brings a homeless man to the ground with a kung fu-style jump. His foot hits the victim full force in the chest area. Shortly afterwards, the disturbing outburst of violence continues in a streetcar. There he kicks the door and threatens a passenger: "I will beat you, pour petrol on you and set you on fire." - in Slovakian, which is why he was acquitted on this point.

A single punch with full force
The next serious escalation followed a few days later. This time on a number 13A bus. The defendant was talking to himself during the journey, a passenger intervened and provoked the defendant. "I asked him why he was taking photos of me. That's a criminal offense." At that moment, the defendant's switch on the bus dropped again. He pushes the passenger, who falls on the other passengers, and jumps over the benches and moves towards the center of the bus.

An elderly man was standing in the door area of the bus. He then punched him out of nowhere, which had massive consequences: "You knocked out four of the passenger's teeth. With just one punch," says the judge. According to the victim's representative Gunther Gram, the victim is suffering greatly from the consequences of the crime.

Lawyer Johannes Fouchs represents the Slovakian.

(Bild: Anja Richter)

 "I was under the influence of drugs," explains the 26-year-old. The expert attests that the defendant has a combined mental disorder, which is why the trial is not only about a sentence, but also about hospitalization. In addition to 20 months' imprisonment, the court of lay assessors also pronounced this - not legally binding. The man has to pay the victim 8,000 euros. The four dental implants alone cost more than 7,000 euros.