A 19-year-old involved in a crash on the N-340 in Castellón that left four dead has been released with restrictions. The court imposed a driving ban and other measures while the investigation continues.
The court in Castellón has granted provisional release to the 19-year-old driver arrested after a devastating accident on the N-340 that resulted in four fatalities and six injuries. The decision, made by the judge on duty at the Sección de Instrucción número 1 del Tribunal de Instancia de Castellón, comes just a day after the incident, which involved three vehicles and occurred in the early hours of Sunday.
According to the Tribunal Superior de Justicia valenciano, the young man is under investigation for four counts of grossly negligent homicide and five counts of causing injury by gross negligence, in addition to a charge related to road safety. The court has imposed several precautionary measures: he must report regularly to the court, is banned from driving any motor vehicle, has had his passport confiscated, and is prohibited from leaving Spain. These restrictions reflect the judge’s assessment of his personal circumstances, including his age, lack of criminal record, and strong family ties, as well as the absence of flight risk or likelihood of reoffending.
The crash took place at 2:20 a.m. on Sunday at kilometer 981 of the N-340, near the La Magdalena hermitage, heading towards Castellón. Three vehicles were involved: a taxi and two passenger cars, one of which—a BMW—was driven by the detained 19-year-old. He sustained minor injuries, while two of the four people who died were passengers in his car. Emergency services confirmed the deaths of three men and one woman at the scene, and treated six injured men. Three suffered multiple traumas, while the others had various contusions, according to the Generalitat’s emergency coordination center (CICU).
Four of the injured were taken to Hospital General de Castellón, with three still hospitalized—one in intensive care and two in regular wards. Two others were transferred to Hospital de la Plana in Vila-real, where one has since been discharged. Firefighters from Castellón spent five hours extricating victims from the wreckage. The causes of the accident remain under investigation, and authorities have not yet released further details.
The judge’s decision to grant provisional release aligns with the prosecutor’s recommendation after hearing the young man’s testimony. The court found no grounds for pre-trial detention, citing no evidence of risk of flight, destruction of evidence, or repeat offenses. This approach to judicial discretion in high-profile cases has sparked debate in Spain, especially following recent controversies over sentencing and pre-trial measures in other legal proceedings. For example, the Supreme Court’s suspension of Víctor de Aldama’s sentence in a major corruption case, after his cooperation with authorities, has drawn public attention to the balance between legal safeguards and public safety concerns. More on this can be found in the report on the Supreme Court’s handling of the Aldama case.
Spain’s road safety laws impose strict penalties for reckless driving, especially when fatalities are involved. In recent years, authorities have increased controls on high-risk stretches like the N-340, which has a history of serious accidents. The current case highlights ongoing challenges in balancing individual rights with public safety, as well as the role of judicial discretion in cases involving young drivers and severe outcomes. The investigation into the causes of the crash is ongoing, and further legal action will depend on the findings of the traffic and judicial authorities.
