Investigation Update on Bus Crash Near Pontevedra on Christmas Eve
The driver of the bus involved in the December tragedy near Pontevedra, which left seven dead and two injured, is currently under investigation. Authorities continue to examine the sequence of events that led to the collision and the subsequent plunge into the Lérez river. The driver, identified by authorities as a 63-year-old, and a surviving passenger from Ponteareas, who is recuperating in hospital, were both wearing seat belts at the moment of the crash. The driver, Carlos Monzon, has faced ongoing emotional strain from the incident. He was summoned to the Pontevedra Command to provide a statement on Thursday at 22:00, but invoked his right not to testify before the agents. His legal counsel has answered questions on his behalf. — Source: Civil Guard
According to sources close to the case, the driver has not been arrested, and his status as a suspect remains part of a broader police inquiry rather than a determination of guilt. He is cooperating to safeguard his rights within the ongoing investigation, and authorities emphasize that no definitive conclusion has yet established negligence. The investigation continues to focus on the driver’s actions, with the surviving passenger’s statement and testimony from emergency personnel involved in the rescue playing important roles. The analysis of the tachograph data and the reconstruction report will be central to understanding the incident, a task led by the ERAT unit based in Mérida. — Source: Civil Guard
Initial hypotheses suggested severe weather conditions on the days leading up to the crash, including heavy rain. Yet as the inquiry progresses, additional aspects will be examined to confirm or refute those early lines of investigation. The event occurred in the municipality of Cerdedo-Cotobade on Christmas Eve, and investigators expect that some conclusions will require months to finalize. The aim is to determine precisely what happened in the moments before the bus left the road and entered the river. — Source: Civil Guard
The current phase of the investigation allows the authorities to proceed carefully; the driver has not testified in person to avoid compromising the process. Had he appeared as a witness, he would have been asked to provide truthful answers to every question. On the judicial side, the Pontevedra Court of Investigation No. 1 awaits the final report before deciding on the next procedural steps within the already opened case, according to TSXG sources. — Source: Civil Guard