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Date Published: 22/06/2022

Alicante lorry driver charged with murder after driving 3km with victim hanging from a rear-view mirror

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The 40-year-old victim was found seriously injured on the A-31 in Petrer, Alicante province, and died the following day

Alicante lorry driver charged with murder after driving 3km with victim hanging from a rear-view mirror

A 56-year-old Spanish lorry driver has been arrested in Alicante and charged with murder after allegedly driving for more than 3km at 100 kph whilst the victim was hanging from a rear-view mirror.

The driver and pedestrian had apparently got into some sort of altercation at a service station just before 6pm on June 3, and when the deceased tried to get into the cab, the lorry driver drove off at speed with the 40-year-old man still hanging on.

Shortly afterwards, a number of witnesses altered 112 Emergencias to a man lying on the road with "very serious" injuries.

On arrival at the A-31 exit towards Salinetas in Petrer, officers from the Guardia Civil's Traffic Department found the victim on the road next to traces of tyre skid marks.

Police verified that the braking was recent, probably just a few minutes before the 112 calls, and determined that, "following the impact", the vehicle had fled at high speed, leaving the victim to his fate, without assistance, at night and in a poorly lit area.

The victim was taken alive to the Hospital General Universitario de Alicante but died the following day.

An investigation was opened into an alleged road accident and an offence of leaving the scene of an accident. Officers carried out an exhaustive visual inspection of the scene and confirmed the vehicle "was a large one", tracing it to a transport company in the province.

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After gathering extensive evidence, the Guardia was able to ascertain that at kilometre 201.900 of the A-31, while the lorry driver was stopped for a break, a man tried to force his way into the cab of the lorry.

The lorry driver struggled with the victim and after preventing him from getting into the cab, started to drive towards Alicante.

After 3km, the driver decided to leave the service road at the Salinetas area of Petrer, where he "braked abruptly" and the victim fell violently onto the road, causing very serious injuries which led to his death, according to police sources.

On June 10, the 56-year-old was arrested and charged with reckless homicide and failing to assist. It's not known what caused the argument and the two men had no previous relationship.

The proceedings have been handed over to the Court of Instruction in Elda.

If found guilty of negligent homicide, the lorry driver faces up to four years in prison and a driving ban of a maximum of six years.

Image: Guardia Civil

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