A devastating road accident on the A-67 near Palencia has left the Ribera del Duero region in shock after the deaths of winery director Iván Sanz Cid and three members of his immediate family: his wife Irene Garijo and two of their children. The family was returning to Valladolid from Cantabria on Sunday when their Ford Bronco left the highway at kilometer 83 and overturned several times. Their youngest daughter, aged 9, survived and was airlifted to Burgos hospital, where she remains in serious but stable condition following surgery.
Emergency responders attended the crash at about 16:20. Driver drowsiness has been raised as a possible line of inquiry, rather than an established cause. The incident has renewed calls for preventive measures on the route. A separate pavement-renewal programme reported for the A-67 includes nearly 15 kilometers in Palencia, as part of a national programme covering 115 kilometers and valued at €69.5 million; the works form part of broader infrastructure investment, not a crash-specific measure.
Iván Sanz Cid was widely respected in the wine industry for his leadership at Dehesa de los Canónigos and his close ties to the community of Pesquera de Duero. Tributes from colleagues and friends described him as humble and generous, with a deep commitment to promoting his family’s winery. The loss has resonated beyond the wine sector, drawing condolences from regional leaders, including Transport Minister Óscar Puente and Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, president of the Junta de Castilla y León. Conrado Íscar, president of the Valladolid Provincial Council, also expressed his support; Garijo worked for the council’s Avanza Society.
The family had a impressive impact on the region. Many recalled Sanz’s efforts to establish Dehesa de los Canónigos as a benchmark in Ribera del Duero, often working alongside his sister Belén with the support of their parents. The local wine community, including figures from Bodegas Moro and Fernández Rivera, emphasized the personal and professional loss felt across Valladolid and beyond. The wake for the four victims is scheduled to take place in Valladolid, where the family resided.
The tragedy has renewed attention to road safety on the A-67, which connects Cantabria with the Meseta. Transport safety was also in the regional spotlight after a major bus crash in Lleida left dozens injured. Details are available in this report on the Lleida bus accident.
Spain’s authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash, including the possibility of driver drowsiness. The deaths of Iván Sanz Cid and his family show the profound personal and community impact of such tragedies, and the continuing importance of vigilance on the road.
