A 25-year-old man was detained in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that involved a street cleaner in El Campello. The occupant of a vehicle who drove into a worker early in the morning, at about 7:30, on September 30, faced immediate consequences. After the incident, he was released from Fontnivel prison upon posting a bail sum that the court accepted, amounting to 3,000 euros.
The attorney representing the driver who struck and killed a person named Jessica took on the case and requested provisional release. Following this, Alicante Instruction Court No. 9, replying to objections raised by the prosecutor, opted to keep the driver in temporary custody but allowed release on bail of 3,000 euros.
Jessica’s family expressed displeasure with the quick release and voiced their concerns on social media. They announced plans to gather at El Campello City Hall on Saturday, November 4, to seek justice. Earlier, on October 3, a silent vigil was held at the accident site in Jessica’s memory.
Alcohol level 0.66
In the ruling that granted bail, the court noted indicators suggesting the young suspect may be responsible for a crime connected to reckless homicide and a breach of road safety rules while under the influence of alcohol. A breath test conducted by the El Campello Local Police showed a reading of 0.66 milligrams of alcohol per liter of air. Initial reports suggested the driver fled after the fatal collision on San Ramón Street, but an ongoing investigation clarified the situation and did not confirm a flight from the scene. The court referenced a judicial order tied to the former route, N-332, and stated that it remained unclear whether the driver escaped the accident.
The decision places the verification of facts at roughly 55 meters from where the fatal event occurred, with the driver detained by local police nearby. While it would be appropriate to continue the initially agreed prison sentence following the arrest on September 30, the ruling also notes there were no additional severe factors or highly reckless behaviors identified in the case.
Consequently, the court decided to set bail at 3,000 euros to avoid remand, citing the suspect’s indefinite employment contract and stable residence in El Campello since 2016 as factors likely to ensure his presence for future proceedings and compliance with the case’s needs.
The defendant, facing charges of reckless homicide, argued in court that the worker was not seen and that a casual summer drink at a girlfriend’s home in Alicante preceded the incident.