A Sunday evening traffic accident in Lleida killed a passenger and led police to arrest a 34-year-old man from Mollerussa. Police sources said he was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol when his vehicle overturned and plunged into the Canal d’Urgell, near the Salt del Duran road in Golmés. The crash occurred at around 19:49. Emergency services sent four police patrols and four fire brigade units.
Responders found the car overturned in the water. After removing it, they discovered the body of a 42-year-old Mollerussa resident of Romanian nationality in the front passenger seat. The driver’s door was open, but the driver was gone, leading authorities to suspect he had left after the crash. A search of the surrounding area proved unsuccessful.
Later that night, at around 23:00, police located the driver at his home. He showed signs of minor injuries consistent with a recent accident. Officers detained him on suspicion of gross negligent homicide and failure to render assistance. They also suspected him of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The suspected offenses are legally distinct under Spain’s Penal Code. Article 142.1 provides for one to four years’ imprisonment for causing death through gross negligence involving a motor vehicle, as well as a driving ban of one to six years. Article 195 concerns failing to assist a person abandoned in manifest and serious danger when help can be given without risk. If the accident resulted from the driver’s negligence, the penalty can be six months to four years in prison. Article 382 bis separately addresses leaving the scene of a traffic accident in which someone has died or suffered serious injury. When the crash arose from imprudent conduct, the offense can carry six months to four years in prison and a driving ban of one to four years. The eventual legal classification depends on the court’s findings about the crash, the victim’s condition and the driver’s actions.
The case comes amid continuing road-safety concerns in Spain. Figures attributed to the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) put the 2025 road death toll at 1,775, across 103,591 crashes in urban and interurban areas. Separate reporting on DGT data stated that alcohol was present in 28% of fatal crashes within its reporting scope in 2024, corresponding to 273 deaths. Those national figures provide context but do not establish the cause of the Golmés crash or the result of any toxicology test in this case.
This incident in Lleida follows other fatal accidents on Spanish roads. In a separate case, a 67-year-old man drowned in the Alloz reservoir despite rescue efforts, as reported in coverage of another fatal incident in Lerate. The cases highlight the importance of timely assistance in emergencies.
The Mossos d’Esquadra continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash in Golmés. The driver’s arrest does not determine the final legal outcome. The investigation will establish how the collision happened and whether he left the scene.
