Family of Andorra Dance Instructor Killed in Crash Decries Stalled Probe
No trial for the drunk driver as the injured passenger remains at large. The victim's sister pushes for new Spanish laws imposing harsher penalties for deadly impaired driving.
Key Points
- Carlos Manuel Chozo, 23, died Oct 5 on Spain's L-313 road after collision with intoxicated driver.
- Key witness—driver's passenger with drugs—missing since crash, halting trial.
- Sister Mònica joins NGO Stop Accidents to push for 'vehicular homicide' law in Spain.
- Family optimistic justice will prevail despite 10-month delay.
The family of Carlos Manuel Chozo, the Andorran dance instructor killed in a traffic crash, say the judicial process remains stalled more than 10 months after the incident, with the driver's passenger—a key suspect and witness—still missing.
Carlos Manuel, 23, died in the early hours of 5 October on the L-313 road in Oliola, northern Spain, after a collision with a vehicle driven by someone under the influence of alcohol and drugs. His sister, Mònica Chozo, confirmed to Diari d'Andorra yesterday that nothing has changed since the last updates months ago. The main suspect, the passenger found disoriented in a nearby field post-crash with a minor bone fracture and a small amount of drugs, has not been located by authorities.
His absence has paralysed proceedings, preventing any trial for the driver. "For now we continue with this man on the run; we have no choice but to wait," Chozo said.
Despite the impasse, the family has not stopped efforts to prevent similar cases. Chozo has joined forces with the Spanish NGO Stop Accidents, formed by relatives of other road crash victims, to press for a "vehicular homicide" offence in Spain's penal code. The proposal aims to impose tougher penalties for fatal accidents stemming from serious driving violations like intoxication, offering greater safeguards for victims' families.
"I'm working with the NGO Stop Accidents to push the law change forward so a vehicular homicide code exists," she said. Stop Accidents campaigns for stricter sanctions in drug- or alcohol-linked road deaths.
Chozo remains optimistic about eventual justice. "We'll keep working; these people will get theirs. I'm convinced," she added. Authorities continue searching for the passenger as the probe lingers.
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