Truck Driver Sentenced After Fatal Elche Crash Involving Former City Leader
A court in Elche has handed down a prison sentence to the truck driver linked to a car crash that resulted in the death of Sergio Rodriguez, a former mayor and adviser to Diputación. Sources close to the case confirm that the driver was arrested by the Civil Guard after testing positive for cocaine in a drug screening conducted on site.
The fatal collision occurred around 6 p.m. on a Monday, when a truck and the vehicle carrying Rodriguez collided head-on. Rodriguez did not survive despite the efforts of medical teams that arrived at the scene.
Alicante Civil Guards apprehended the truck driver involved in the accident last Monday after the drug test returned positive. The Guard and the Instruction Court ordered that the man be remanded in custody, according to the official command report.
The incident was reported at approximately 18:05 on Monday by the Civil Guard after a call to the 112 emergency number indicated a crash at the 1,400 kilometer mark of the CV-854 road within the Elche municipal area.
Witnesses from the Alicante Traffic Sub-Sector arrived promptly and observed a head-on collision between a truck and a car at the scene.
Investigators analyzing traffic accidents gathered data and examined the location. They concluded that the truck driver had crossed into the opposite lane while operating a vehicle from Elche, which led to the fatal collision. The impact was severe and caused the truck to crash into a nearby wall adjacent to the road.
The driver of the car could not avoid the collision given the road conditions and the sudden maneuver by the truck driver.
Following tests for alcohol and drugs, the truck driver, aged 45, tested positive for illicit substance use. The body of the other driver was released while these examinations were underway.
At the scene, authorities proceeded to arrest the truck driver on probable charges of reckless manslaughter and traffic offenses related to drug use while operating a vehicle.
Health services later transferred the detainee to Elche General University Hospital. He remained in police custody until last Wednesday while receiving medical attention and awaiting further processing.
After medical clearance, the Elche Duty and Instruction Court ordered the suspect’s imprisonment and immediate suspension of his driving license. The vehicle used by the detainee also underwent judicial intervention as part of the case.
The toxicology results issued by the Institute of Toxicology confirmed prior drug use by the detainee, a factor considered in assessing potential criminal liability for the driver involved in the crash.
Investigators from the Alicante Traffic Subsector continue to expand the evidentiary base to better understand why the detainee entered the opposite lane and how the sequence of events unfolded on the road.
Sergio Rodriguez served as chair of the communications cabinet for Elche City Council from 2011 to 2015. He also held a position as a councilor for the PP at the Elche Consulate between 2018 and 2019 and led the New Generations of Elche. He remained active as the deputy coordinator for the PP in the Provincial Assembly and served as deputy provincial secretary of the People’s Party Communications network.
These roles highlight Rodriguez’s prominence in local governance and regional party structures, underscoring the impact of his loss on Elche’s civic and political landscape.