The Criminal Court Number 1 in Arrecife has sentenced a 36-year-old man to one year in prison and a four-year ban on driving motor vehicles and scooters. This follows a conviction for traffic safety violations as outlined in Article 380.1 of the Penal Code, alongside a further nine-month prison sentence for another traffic offence under Article 384 of the Penal Code.

Investigation Initiated by Civil Guard

Civil Guards from the Traffic Detachment in Arrecife began their investigation into the alleged offender for driving offences after he was reported for reckless driving without a valid driving licence due to a total loss of points, as well as driving under the influence of narcotics.

Incident Details

The incident occurred at approximately 4:15 PM on June 28, 2025. According to a press release, civil guards were on road surveillance duty on the LZ-1 near Arrieta when they observed a vehicle circulating through a roundabout without a valid ITV (vehicles inspection certificate). The officers initiated a pursuit using an official vehicle.

Upon realising that he was being signalled to stop by the officers, the driver accelerated at high speed, ignoring the agents’ signals. He swerved, made sharp turns, and disregarded a stop sign at an intersection.

Dangerous Maneuvers at the Petrol Station

After entering the “PCAN” petrol station at high speed, the driver navigated around vehicles refuelling, forcing a station employee to move out of the way to avoid being hit. Subsequently, he re-entered the LZ-1 road (Arrecife-Orzola) against a prohibited direction sign, compelling other road users to move onto the shoulder to prevent a head-on collision. Once the vehicle fled towards LZ-42 (Guatiza-Mala), the three occupants exited and attempted to run on foot, but were apprehended by the officers.

Drug Testing and Charges

After being identified, the suspects underwent drug testing as the officers noted clear signs of substance use, testing positive for cocaine and THC. The driver was informed that he would be investigated as the alleged perpetrator of three traffic safety offences: reckless driving, driving without a licence due to total point loss, and driving under the influence of narcotics.

Subsequent to the investigations, the relevant proceedings were submitted to the Investigating Court No. 2 in Arrecife. In August, an oral hearing took place at the Criminal Court Number 1 in Arrecife, where the driver was ultimately convicted in a final ruling.