“I am not responsible for the accident, I request my freedom. It happened because I dodged a heifer or bull and invaded the opposite lane to avoid colliding head-on. That is when I felt the blow”, was the statement by driver of the tractor trailer that took the lives of six people Saturday night in La Cruz, Guanacaste.
The 30 year old driver involved in the fatal collision alleged to have left a local bar moments earlier and found to have a 1.7 blood alcohol content, was ordered in preventive detention for six months by the Juzgado Penal de Liberia while investigators piece together the evidence.
The driver of the tractor trailer with a load of stone, identified by his last name Chaves, a resident of Filadelfia, south of Liberia, is now seeking his freedom and blaming a cow or bull to have crossed his path, which forced him to cross the median and hitting the small vehicle. The truck jack knifed and trailer overturning, crushing the vehicle and its six passengers, three couples returning home from celebrating the birthday of one of them.
The driver, who did not suffer any injuries, is the only eye witness to the accident that occurred in an isolated area and in the dark of night.
In the statement, Chaves said, “I had dinner and drank two beers around 6pm. I set the alarm for 11pm to continue to my destination. After the accident I was in shock and there was a bottle of whiskey in the truck cab which was given to me as a gift two or three days earlier; thus after the accident, I took a few swigs of the whiskey”.
Defence lawyer, Ricardo Jiménez, explained that that was the reason his client had the high blood alcohol reading when tested by the Policia de Tránsito.
The lawyer confirmed that a request has been made to release his client from preventive detention. The Fiscalía de Liberia (prosecutor’s office) confirmed the arguments filed by the accused.
“However, in an inspection of the vehicle by the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (Judicial investigators), they did not find any bottle of liquor on the site or in the truck”, said a statement by the Fiscalia.
Source: La Nación
