Key Points
- 1. A personnel belonging to the Chilean Navy crashed his vehicle into a crowd at a market in Viña del Mar on July 12.
- 2. As a result of the accident, six people lost their lives, while five people who suffered partial trauma were injured.
- 3. The law enforcement report determined the vehicle's speed at the moment of impact to be at least 85.5 km/h.
- 4. Evaluating the defense's claim of fainting, the court decided that the sailor should be tried in pre-trial detention.
By the Numbers
In a tragic accident at a market in Viña del Mar, Chile, a vehicle driven by Navy personnel Jonathan David Richards Gaete plunged into the crowd, causing the death of six people and injuring five others. The prosecutor's office stated that the driver acted negligently but had no intent to kill, charging Richards with causing ordinary homicide and injury.
Law enforcement's physics report, which clarified the vehicle's speed during the accident, determined the speed at the moment of impact to be between 85.5 and 102 km/h. Prosecutor Vivian Quiñones emphasized that Richards was driving on a crowded street without paying attention to traffic and at excessive speed. Investigations also confirmed that the driver had not consumed alcohol prior to the incident.
The defense, on the other hand, claimed that the driver felt faint while driving and that visibility was reduced due to dense fog, requesting house arrest instead of pre-trial detention. However, citing the magnitude of the incident and the massive devastation it caused, Judge Pilar Labarca rejected the request and ruled that Richards is to remain detained in the Casablanca prison.
React to this story
Ask about this story
Answers are AI-generated from this story only.
Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. What happened in the accident in Viña del Mar?
- In the early hours of July 12 morning, a vehicle driven by Navy personnel Jonathan David Richards Gaete plunged into a crowd at a street market in Gómez Carreño, killing six people and injuring five others.
- 2. How do the prosecution and the defense explain the incident?
- While the prosecution acts on the grounds that the driver caused the accident due to negligence and excessive speed; the defense claims that the driver fainted at the wheel and that dense fog triggered the accident.
- 3. What decisions were made regarding the driver?
- The judge approved the detention request, citing the great pain and numerous losses caused by the incident. The suspect is being held in preventive detention at a prison in Casablanca.
This is an AI-generated summary. The full story lives at the source.
Read the full story at the sourcelatercera.comHow we produce our content →