The Guardia Civil apprehended the driver who fled the scene of a fatal accident in Hinojedo, ending a five-hour search when officers found him inside a Lupa supermarket in Polanco. The suspect, R. C., 26, a resident of Santander, was located after witnesses recognized him near the store and alerted authorities. He was reportedly trying to hide inside as officers arrived. The account also identifies him as the son of a Cantabrian builder.
Witnesses described an unmarked police vehicle travelling at high speed between Requejada and Polanco. Concerned by the suspect’s condition and unsure of his intentions, supermarket management closed the doors as a precaution. The driver was reportedly facing a points-based loss of his driving licence, although formal notification had not yet been delivered. An administrative points withdrawal differs from a court-imposed driving ban; the legal effect of losing a licence depends on the applicable procedure and its status.
The crash occurred at kilometre 1.2 of the CA-132 after the driver allegedly evaded an early-morning alcohol checkpoint. The Porsche Panamera, carrying five people, struck a traffic light and a wall at high speed. A 26-year-old passenger from Madrid, visiting Cantabria with his family, died. Three other occupants, including two women, were injured; one was taken to Marqués de Valdecilla Hospital in serious condition. The fifth occupant escaped unharmed. Allegedly evading a checkpoint does not, by itself, confirm a positive alcohol test.
After the collision, the driver fled on foot. Witnesses later saw him near the BP service-station roundabout in Polanco, visibly dishevelled, before he sat on a wall outside the supermarket. The search lasted nearly five hours and ended with his arrest inside the store. Emergency responders included firefighters from Torrelavega and three ambulances. A tow truck removed the wrecked vehicle, while road crews cleared the scene. Skid marks remained visible on the road.
R. C. was expected to be transferred to Guardia Civil headquarters in Campogiro, Santander, for questioning before appearing before Carmen Camargo, the magistrate of Court Number Two in Torrelavega. He is also linked to a separate investigation into an earlier traffic incident near El Corte Inglés in Santander, where investigators are examining whether he was driving or travelling as a passenger.
The incident has renewed attention on road safety and the enforcement of driving restrictions. The Guardia Civil has handled other high-profile traffic cases, including an incident in which tourists were fined over reckless behaviour on the A-7 in Marbella, as reported in a recent news story.
Fatal collisions remain a serious road-safety concern in Spain. The Hinojedo crash involved five occupants: one died, three were injured and the remaining passenger escaped unharmed. The subsequent search lasted around five hours. The investigation and the condition of those injured remain basic to the case as it proceeds through the legal system.
