Moroccan Driver Faces 57-Year Sentence for Ramming Car into 9 in Spain

Since this Tuesday morning, witnesses have been taking the stand as part of this trial, which is being held in ordinary procedure. The accused declared that on that day, he had gone to the doctor because he was feeling unwell. The latter had prescribed him a medication and he had returned home, before going out again without reason. "I don’t remember anything," he claimed, stating that he regained his senses after his arrest by the Civil Guard.

The defense of the Moroccan argues that he could suffer from a mental illness, more precisely schizophrenia, and that he was not following any treatment at the time of the events. Born in Morocco in 1973, and with no criminal record, the accused at the wheel of his SEAT vehicle was driving "in a provocative and aggressive manner" that day, the prosecution explained in the indictment. He had almost run over pedestrians in Calle El Santo de Yunquera, then, continuing his mad race, had rammed into two other pedestrians who were walking quietly on the sidewalk.

Arriving at the level of a cafe, he suddenly accelerated towards the customers who were sitting on the terrace, with the "intention of causing their death," estimates the prosecution, which is convinced that the accused was "fully aware of the consequences of his extremely dangerous driving on the lives" of the bar customers. The Moroccan continued on his way at high speed until he reached Calle Real where another bar’s terrace is located. There, he rammed into the customers seated on the terrace, dragging one of them for several meters and knocking down another, before ending his run against a bollard.

After these damages, the accused got out of the vehicle and fled, but was intercepted by two passers-by who managed to hold him until the arrival of the Civil Guard, who arrested him. For the damages caused to the victims, the prosecution is demanding that the accused pay a fine of 464,247 euros. In total, 16 witnesses as well as some experts have been summoned for this hearing.