The accident, which occurred at the end of January, involved a head-on collision between two passenger cars. The deceased were sisters Inghild Ursin Reed, 78, and Elin Marit Ursin, 70, from Harstad. A third woman, also their sister, was seriously injured.
The accused, an Indonesian driver of a rental car, is charged with crossing into the wrong lane and not driving sufficiently carefully and considerately. In court, the man in his 50s admitted the factual circumstances but did not admit guilt under the charge. The survivor described the driving conditions as normal winter conditions with good visibility, but the accused left the courtroom while she was testifying.
My explanation is as before. There was nothing I could do to avoid and prevent the accident.
According to NRK Troms og Finnmark, the survivor described seeing in her peripheral vision a car whose rear wheel skidded, then a dark shadow and a loud crash happening in an instant. She has had a tough time after the accident. The accused and his travel companions were driving from Narvik towards Lofoten when the accident happened.
The speed limit at the accident site is 90 km/h, and technical calculations showed the car was traveling at 78 km/h in the curve where the skid began. According to NRK Troms og Finnmark, the accused described that there was nothing he could do to avoid and prevent the accident. He said he tried to drive below the speed limit and felt the road was slippery only after the car started to skid, adding that it had started to snow.
When I drive with my dear ones and friends in the car, I drive carefully.
The accused has driven on winter roads before, including in Norway in 2024, South Korea last year, and on vacation in Iceland. According to NRK Troms og Finnmark, the accused described being very sorry that the accident happened and thinking about all those injured, the family of the victims, and everyone involved. A witness described it as light snow in the air, but the snowfall started in earnest afterward.
Another witness driving behind the accused described the driving as wobbly and therefore kept a distance. The accused has been in custody since the accident. The accused's defense attorney, Stein Nilsen, does not wish to comment on the case.
But it didn't work.
His assistant attorney, Mona Annie Ovesen, said in court that her client was unsure if she could testify if the accused was present.
I saw in my peripheral vision a car whose rear wheel skidded. In the next second, it came like a dark shadow and there was a violent crash. It happened in an instant.
I think about all who were injured. I think about the family of the victims. I think about everyone involved.