Influencer Stuntkabouter charged over fatal crash under the influence of drugs

Influencer Martijn van Eijzereren, better known as Stuntkabouter, is charged in France with death by guilt in traffic under the influence of drugs. He drove the car that crashed into a truck in May, killing director Ilya Vierhout. Traces of cocaine had been found in a test at Van Eijzeren, who herself was slightly injured. This is reported by the newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré. According to the newspaper, the police no skid marks found at the scene of the accident. Van Eijzereren was in pre-trial detention in Valence prison in south-eastern France. After he appealed, he was released less than a month later and placed under judicial supervision. The accident happened on 19 May on the A7 at Savasse, in the south of France. In the accident, the 28-year-old Vierhout was seriously injured. He died four days later in the hospital. Van Eijzereren and Vierhout were on their way back from a visit to the film festival in Cannes. Vierhout was an actor and director whose film De Albatros, a tribute to his grandfather, premiered this year at the film festival in Rotterdam. As an actor, he played a young Rembrandt in the NTR television series The Story of the Netherlands. Van Eijzereren is best known online as Stunt Gnome or Stuntje. He was also part of the creative team and the live act of Joost Klein during the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. The act was ultimately not allowed to participate in the final because Joost Klein was disqualified. Lawyer Sébas Diekstra, who assists the relatives of Vierhout, does not want to comment on the news for the time being. "We do not want to comment on the substance of the case or the ongoing investigation at this time. We await the official announcements about this and will, if there is reason to do so, respond at a later date, "he told ANP news agency.