KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The Spangdahlem airman behind the wheel of the car that crashed last July, killing two other airmen, goes to court Monday to face manslaughter and negligent homicide charges, an Air Force spokeswoman said Friday.
The general court-martial of Airman 1st Class Alan J. Lindgren begins Monday before a military judge, said Iris Reiff, a spokeswoman at Spangdahlem Air Base. Lindgren, who is assigned to the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, also has been charged with illegal use of spice, a synthetic form of marijuana.
Lindgren’s trial is expected to last as long as five days, Reiff said.
Natascha Raab-Sauer, a German police officer who responded to the July 11 accident, indicated the car involved, a BMW M3, was traveling at least 125 mph and had just passed another vehicle. At the time of the accident, Raab-Sauer said Lindgren was 21.
The midafternoon accident occurred on Autobahn 60 between Bitburg and Spangdahlem, according to a military news release.
Killed in the crash were Amanda Jotham and Brandon McDonald, both airmen first class. Though injured, Lindgren was able to get out of the car.
Jotham, 19, of the 52nd Security Forces Squadron, had arrived at Spangdahlem about a month before the crash. It was Jotham’s first duty station, according to her hometown newspaper in Sarasota, Fla.
McDonald, 20, was married with a young daughter. He was a member of the 52nd Medical Operations Squadron.
The car that Lindgren was driving was entering a long, sweeping right curve when it struck a guardrail, according to Raab-Sauer. It rolled and landed on top of the metal girder.
doughertyk@estripes.osd.mil
