A three year prison sentence and a ban from driving for five years is the penalty for a young driver that caused a multiple vehicle accident, resulting in one fatality, on the autopista General Cañas.
The accident occurred on July 24, 2008.
However, José Madrigal Brenes, now 25 years old, will not be going to jail, the judges commuting his sentence to probation for five years. As to the driving ban, judge, Manuel Rojas, in the reading of the sentence warned Madrigal that the court will be asking for Policia de Tránsito reports and if found driving, will immediately be sent to prison.
It was on the afternoon of July 24, 2008, when Madrigal drove the wrong way along the La Sabana exit on the San José bound section of the autopista General Cañas, in front of the San José Palacio hotel, to get on to the highway.
The traffic accient resulted in the death of William Fernández Jiménez, 44 years of age.
The Court found that bad street signalization (there was no sign posted) contributed to the fatal accident and as such found the State guilty as well.
Judges Manuel Rojas Salas, Isabel Porras Porras and Juan Carlos Pérez Murillo also found guilty José Nahin Madrigal Alpízar, Madrigal’s father and owner of the vehicle,.
The elder Madrigal and the State were ordered to pay in damages ¢153 million colones to Fernández’s wife and four children, of which the State is obligated to pay ony a 20% portion.
