Spanish truck driver will face trial for crashing into picnic, killing 7

The Spanish truck driver who crashed into a neighborhood barbecue in Zuidzijde near Nieuw-Beijerland in August 2022, killing seven, will face trial, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) reported on Wednesday.

The accident occurred on 27 August 2022 in the Zuidzijde hamlet near Nieuw Beijerland. A lorry drove off a dike and crashed into a neighborhood party, resulting in the death of seven people - six adults, including a pregnant woman near the end of her term, and her unborn child. Seven other people, including children, were injured.

Based on the investigation file, the OM sees sufficient evidence to prosecute the 47-year-old driver for causing a traffic accident with fatal and serious injuries due to negligence.

The trucker’s lawyer previously stated that an epileptic seizure caused the accident. It was later revealed that the driver tested positive for cocaine. After his release from pre-trial detention, the truck driver also told Spanish media that he considered himself innocent and a victim as well.

The date for the substantive hearing of the case is not yet known.