The district court rejected an arrest warrant, as the public prosecutor announced – the man is free again.Image: keystone
A passenger attacks a train conductor – the man falls from the moving train and is in danger of losing his life. The suspect is at large again.
July 19, 2026, 3:12 amJuly 19, 2026, 3:12 am
A 36-year-old man attacked a 26-year-old train attendant on a regional train on the route to Karlsruhe on Friday evening – the victim fell out of the moving train through a damaged door and has been in critical condition in hospital ever since. The suspect had a previous conviction for violent crimes and was on probation at the time of the crime. The district court rejected an arrest warrant, as the public prosecutor announced – the man is free again.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, the 36-year-old is said to have been drunk when there was a ticket check on the train, which escalated. He refused to give his personal details and leave the train. Instead, he hit the train conductor with his fists and kicked him. Both of them hit the train door several times, which apparently was damaged unnoticed.
Suspect is said to have stepped in
When the security guard tried to pull the passenger up, who was lying on his back, he kicked him violently. The 26-year-old fell to the floor and hit the door again. This gave way and he fell outside through a crack. Shortly afterwards he was rescued with serious injuries and taken to hospital. He is in stable but still critical condition, authorities said.
It is still unclear why the door gave way. A technical expert was commissioned to investigate the incident. It is unclear when results will be available.
The public prosecutor’s office had applied for an arrest warrant in the afternoon, but the district court rejected the pre-trial detention – despite the ongoing suspended sentence. There was initially no official reason. The investigation is now underway for bodily harm.
Union demands more protection for railway employees
Deutsche Bahn expressed its concern. “We strongly condemn the attack on a regional train yesterday evening,” said a railway spokeswoman. “Our thoughts are with the injured person.”
Manuel Amberger, state chairman of the Railway and Transport Union (EVG), explained that the incident once again dramatically shows “that verbal and physical attacks on train crews have reached a new, life-threatening dimension.” “The fact that one of our colleagues once again has to fight for his life in the hospital after a simple ticket check makes us stunned and angry,” said Amberger.
GDL boss Mario Reiss also spoke on WDR. “We need judicial decisions, we need changes to the law and we need the right to intervene,” he said. “At this point, it’s simply unbearable for us and our colleagues who actually do their work every day have to go to work more and more afraid every day.”