Police in Tampere have detained a 20-year-old man on suspicion of manslaughter in relation to a car crash that claimed the life of a taxi driver in the city last weekend.
The middle-aged man lost his life after a Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) vehicle hit the back of the taxi, which was stopped at a red traffic light in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Tabloid newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported on Monday that the suspect is from the city of Hämeenlinna, and according to Yle's information, he has no prior criminal record.
Initially, police investigated the fatal incident as a case of negligent homicide, but the department announced on Monday that the case was now a manslaughter probe.
The FDF confirmed on Sunday that the driver of the Toyota Hilux involved in the fatal crash was a paid staff member.
The vehicle was not being driven in connection with a FDF operation at the time, and police believe it collided with the stationary taxi at a considerable speed.
The preliminary probe also found no evidence there were other passengers in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
A remand hearing will take place at Pirkanmaa District Court on Tuesday afternoon.
Police car also towed from scene
Yle reported earlier on Monday that a police vehicle was also involved in the crash, after eyewitnesses said a Volkswagen Transporter civilian car used by the police was towed away from the scene.
A police press release on Monday confirmed this information, explaining that the vehicle was approaching the taxi in a separate lane when the crash occurred. The police's vehicle suffered some damage as a result of the collision between the FDF van and the taxi.
However, the statement noted that the police car was not directly involved in the collision.