Residents of Vilaboa in Pontevedra were shaken by a road event that ended in the death of two people and left several others in critical or serious condition. A car suddenly veered onto a terrace beside a local bar in the Santa Cristina de Cobres neighborhood during a Friday afternoon, sweeping away the table where four regulars sat. The scene unfolded quickly, and the two men aged 79 and 67 died after being transported to the Montecelo de Pontevedra and Álvaro Cunqueiro de Vigo hospitals in serious condition. One of the victims had already been revived at the site by medical teams, while two other patrons sustained minor injuries.
The accident occurred at kilometer 0 of the N-554 and is being treated as a multiple-occupancy incident by investigators. Eyewitnesses and local sources describe a group of elderly regulars who frequented the O Chancho bar, meeting there to share company and a game that had become a familiar ritual for many years. The tragedy disrupted a quiet Friday for the neighborhood and raised questions about safety near that stretch of road.
Witness accounts indicate the car was parked in a Mercedes and that the driver accidentally pressed the reverse gear instead of the correct control, causing the vehicle to plunge toward the terrace and overturn the table where the neighbors sat. Authorities reported that tests for alcohol and medications returned negative for the driver, who remained at the scene while emergency teams worked. The incident occurred around 17:00 hours.
Eyewitnesses attribute the sequence to a moment of confusion with the vehicle’s gear selection and the driver’s misjudgment of the situation. Civil protection teams and road maintenance workers joined the response, with formal involvement from the Civil Guard and local emergency services. The car’s impact prompted rapid on-site care by 061 units, and rescuers prioritized the most seriously injured for immediate transport to hospital facilities for definitive treatment.
The long shadow over the community
The town has long carried a memory of a similar tragedy, a reminder that dangerous moments can recur close to home. Nearly four years earlier, a collision at an altitude near a church intersection left one person dead and several others injured when a truck crashed into a car carrying teenagers. In that incident, four youths were in the vehicle, with one 22-year-old sustaining critical injuries. Despite sustained lifesaving efforts, he died while en route to Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital in Vigo. Other passengers aged 21 and 22 were transported to Montecelo Hospital in Pontevedra, while the truck driver did not suffer injuries.
These past events echo in the memory of residents who recall the moments of fear and the ongoing search for safer streets. Local authorities continue to review traffic patterns and response readiness to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The community remains united in support for the families affected and in the determination to uphold safety measures for pedestrians and motorists alike.