A truck ends the lives of 6 people, 2 Civil guards, in Seville

Estela Nieto

Six people tragically lost their lives in an accident that occurred at 4.40 am last morning. It was at kilometer 24 of the AP-4 highway in the direction of Seville, near Los Palacios. Two of the victims were Civil Guards who were on routine traffic control.  In addition, four civilians in private vehicles also lost their lives. The incident was triggered when the driver of the truck lost control of the vehicle after making an aggressive maneuver when he received signals from the agents to stop. 

The truck, out of control, runned over six people and several vehicles that were on the scene at the time. The tragedy left six people dead and several injured, including three Civil Guards officers who were transferred to different hospitals in the city. The civil guards who lost their lives were Sergeant Eneko Lira Gómez and Officer Juan Jesús López Álvarez, both members of the Rapid Action Group (GAR). The four civilian victims who were traveling in private vehicles are: a resident of Dos Hermanas, in the province of Seville, a resident of Cadiz who, according to the Subdelegation in that province, would be from Barbate, a resident of Ceuta, and a foreign national, whose nationality has not been specified.

The preliminary investigation suggests that the truck was traveling at a speed of 90 km/h and there is no evidence of braking marks on the highway. The operation involved traffic police officers, firefighters from the Provincial Council of Seville and medical personnel coordinated by the 061 Emergency Health Center, which deployed a Mobile Emergency Unit, a medical team from Los Palacios and another from Utrera, among other resources. Authorities are still trying to determine the exact causes of the accident, although the initial hypothesis points to a possible distraction or drowsiness of the driver.

The driver of the truck, who was arrested after the incident, is facing charges for six alleged crimes of homicide and three crimes of injuries. The judicial authorities have ordered custody over him. During his judicial appearance, the arrested individual has given a statement and, apparently, has denied falling asleep. The case will be handled by the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 4 of Utrera, which was on duty when the incident occurred.

The tragic event shocks the local and national community and Has generated deep sorrow among members of the Civil guards and families.  The incident highlights the dangers faced by the officers on a daily basis and underlines the importance of safety to prevent tragedies. Additionally, the incident occurs one month after the event in Barbate that also ended the lives of 2 agents.