Monday, March 28, 2011

Austria - Priest sinned in petrol station clash, court rules

OFF THE WIRE
austrianindependent.com

Parish_priest_Lukas_Hammerle_has_been_fined_over_a_fight_at_a_petrol_station.
A parish priest has been fined over a fight at a petrol station.

Lukas Hammerle from Sellrain near Axams in Tyrol was ordered to pay a fine of 4,800 Euros by a court in Innsbruck after clashing with a gang of bikers at a filling station earlier this year.
The 68-year-old said he queued for around 20 minutes behind the motorcyclists at the service station. One biker tried to reserve the petrol pump for friends who were allegedly about to arrive. The priest however managed to get hold of the pump and filled up his car.
One of the motorcycles toppled over when he argued with a member of the group of bikers after having paid for the fuel. Hammerle drove away and a female biker got clear only by jumping to the side after having tried to stop him from making an exit, according to reports.

Hammerle told newspaper Heute he decided not to appeal the verdict but pay up.