Andorran Court Acquits Driver in 2022 Crash, Citing Sudden Epilepsy Episode
The 45-year-old woman was charged with reckless driving after entering a roundabout the wrong way on Anyós road, but the court ruled an involuntary medical event caused the incident, dismissing all charges and penalties.
Key Points
- Andorran Court of Corts acquits 45-year-old woman of reckless driving in 2022 Anyós road crash.
- Incident involved entering roundabout wrong way, hitting wall after vehicles swerved; no injuries.
- Court rules sudden focal epilepsy episode caused loss of control, dismissing all charges and penalties.
- Prosecutors sought 15-month suspended sentence and driving ban, but medical evidence prevailed.
The Court of Corts has acquitted a 45-year-old woman charged with reckless driving following a 2022 crash on the Anyós road, ruling that a sudden focal epilepsy episode likely caused her to drive the wrong way.
The June 2022 incident saw the driver enter a roundabout against traffic, proceed in the wrong direction for several metres, and strike a wall after other vehicles swerved to avoid a collision. Prosecutors highlighted the serious danger to other road users, though no injuries occurred.
Diagnosed with focal epilepsy since age 25 and under long-term medical monitoring, the woman testified that she recalled nothing of the event and linked it to a sudden disconnection crisis. Her legal team contended that the vehicle's abrupt acceleration, wrong-way entry, and loss of control indicated an epileptic seizure, with no other rational explanation.
Andorran prosecutors rejected this, arguing the maneuvers showed coherence incompatible with unconsciousness. They requested a 15-month suspended prison term, two-year driving ban, and €1,500 fine, citing deliberate recklessness.
After reviewing medical evidence and trial testimony, the court ruled Thursday that criminal responsibility could not be proven beyond doubt. It accepted the defence's case of an involuntary medical event, dismissed all charges, imposed no penalties, and ordered the state to cover court costs.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: