Andorran Dance Instructor's Family Plans Protest Rally Demanding Harsher Spanish Penalties for Drunk Driving
The static demonstration in Andorra la Vella on what would have been Carlos Chozo's 37th birthday seeks justice after his death in a crash caused by an impaired, speeding driver who faces only a three-year maximum sentence.
Key Points
- Family of Andorran dance instructor Carlos Chozo plans static protest in Andorra la Vella on his would-be 37th birthday.
- Protest demands harsher Spanish penalties for drunk and drugged driving after Chozo's death in October 2025 crash.
- Impaired driver exceeded speed by 50 km/h, faces max 3-year sentence for negligent manslaughter; no pre-trial custody.
- Family campaigns for tougher laws, plans Lleida rally and petition to Congress.
The family and friends of Carlos Manuel Miguel Chozo, a 36-year-old Andorran dance instructor and employee at a major shopping centre, plan a static protest rally in Andorra la Vella on Tuesday, 12 May, to demand harsher Spanish penalties for road violence and impaired driving.
Scheduled for 9pm in Plaça Lídia Armengol under the slogan "Stop violència vial", the one-hour event marks what would have been Chozo's 37th birthday. Organisers seek "Justice for Carlos" and "Prison for recklessness: zero alcohol and drugs on the roads". Authorised by the Interior Ministry as peaceful, it expects family, friends, and community members, with Secretary of State for Justice and Interior Joan Antoni León requiring safety measures for participants, pedestrians, and traffic flow.
Chozo died in the early hours of 5 October 2025 on Spain's C-14 road in Oliola, when a driver under the influence of alcohol and drugs—exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h—caused a crash. His partner, also an Andorran resident, sustained serious injuries but has recovered. The driver, who was hospitalised for his own injuries, was never detained or held in pre-trial custody.
The family has campaigned for tougher sentences since the incident, expressing outrage over Spain's three-year maximum for manslaughter by negligence. In January, Balaguer court rejected their request for the driver's imprisonment, ruling no evidence of intent existed, as the driver had attempted to return to his lane. The case remains in the instruction phase at Balaguer, pending transfer to Lleida's Provincial Court for trial.
Frustrated by lax Spanish laws, relatives continue pushing for change, including a planned rally in Lleida and a petition to Congress. They face obstacles, such as finding a lawyer to meet legal requirements for signatures.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: