Two people died and two others were seriously injured this Tuesday, May 19, after the vehicle in which they were traveling collided with the metal structure of a public lighting pole at kilometer 181 of the Cito-180 route, in San Martín Zapotitlán, Retalhuleu.
According to information from emergency services, four people were traveling in a car that was heading from the South Coast towards Quetzaltenango when, for reasons that the authorities are investigating, the driver lost control of the vehicle, went up the central curb and collided with the metal protection tubes of a public lighting pole.
The impact destroyed a large part of the car and left the occupants trapped between the twisted iron, so lifeguards carried out rescue maneuvers to free the victims.
Municipal firefighters reported that the driver died at the scene due to the severity of his injuries. He was identified as Hugo Barrios Ortíz, 35 years old.
The other three occupants were stabilized and transferred in critical condition to the Retalhuleu National Hospital. However, a woman of about 45 years old died shortly after entering the care center, due to the multiple traumas suffered in the accident.
Edermina Pérez Velásquez, 21, and a man in his 50s, who has not been identified, remain seriously injured.
“When we arrived at the scene we found four people; two of them we transported immediately, one deceased was left at the scene and one more was transported by the Red Cross. The injured are in critical condition with multiple traumas,” said municipal firefighter Byron Cobón.
According to preliminary information, the victims would be from Tacaná, San Marcos.
The accident caused complications in vehicular traffic while prosecutors from the Public Ministry carried out the corresponding procedures and coordinated the removal of the vehicle.
The authorities are investigating the causes of the accident. Preliminarily, they do not rule out that excessive speed or distracted driving may have influenced the incident.
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