In a highly unusual ruling in the field of road safety in Spain, the Criminal Court No. 3 of Tarragona has issued a landmark sentence. Thanks to the legal work of Álvaro Machado, a lawyer with Vosseler Abogados and representative of the victim, a two-year prison sentence and a three-and-a-half-year driving ban have been obtained for the person responsible for a hit-and-run that left a man with a 75% disability.
As Álvaro Machado pointed out during his appearance on the TVE program 'El segon cafè' , this ruling is particularly significant due to its severe punishment . “Usually, even in cases resulting in death, sentences tend to be around a year and three months,” the lawyer noted. “In this case, although the victim survived, the severity of the injuries and the driver's negligence led the court to impose the maximum penalty.” In this case, two years in prison for the hit-and-run.
Unexplained accident
The incident occurred on February 17, 2023, in the Bonavista neighborhood of Tarragona . The victim was crossing properly at a pedestrian crossing on a straight, dual carriageway with full visibility. There were no obstacles or adverse weather conditions that could have justified the collision.
Álvaro Machado was emphatic in describing the mechanics of the accident in his television appearance:
"There was no reason why the driver shouldn't have seen a pedestrian on a perfectly straight and signposted road. The vehicle was speeding, and the driver could have been looking at anything but the road. The collision was so violent that the victim was thrown 15 meters."
'Civil death': a devastating impact on the family
Beyond the criminal penalty, the sentence recognizes a substantial compensation payment . This sum attempts to mitigate—as much as possible—the catastrophic consequences for a man who, to this day, suffers from a 75% disability.
The victim's situation is heartbreaking, due to the neurological and cognitive damage.
Álvaro Machado described this reality on TVE as a "civil death": "It's a person who has a body, but no soul. Before, they were fully functional, they worked and had a life; now their existence is purely physical, without functionality."
Commitment to the victims
At Vosseler Abogados we requested the maximum penalty allowed by law, understanding that distracted driving and speeding cannot be treated as mere "accidents", but as acts of irresponsibility with permanent consequences.
The victim's family now receives this legal support which, while it does not restore the father and husband's health, at least guarantees economic stability to live with dignity.
Key points of the ruling:
| Concept | Details of the sentence |
| Prison Sentence | 2 years in the Making (Unprecedented for non-fatal cases) |
| Driver's license deprivation | 3 years and 6 months |
| Compensation | 1.000.000 € |
| Cause of the accident | Serious negligence: speeding and distraction |
This legal victory, resulting in a two-year prison sentence for the hit-and-run, reinforces our commitment to fighting for the rights of traffic accident victims . We will continue working to ensure that reckless driving has the legal consequences that the seriousness of the act demands.
Have you been in a traffic accident or do you need specialized legal advice? At Vosseler Abogados, we are at your service to defend your rights.
