A first corporal of Carabineros was struck by a taxi colectivo while directing traffic for an approaching emergency vehicle in central Osorno on the night of Saturday 7 November.[1] The collision happened at the junction of Manuel Antonio Matta street and Juan Mackenna avenue.[1] The officer, from Osorno’s First Police Station, suffered a serious fracture of his right wrist and remained off duty to recover.[1] Captain Juan Castro of the First Police Station said the officer wore a reflective vest and that cones were in place to clear the way for the emergency vehicle.[1]
The colectivo driver did not stop in time and hit the officer, causing the fracture, the captain said.[2] Bío Bío reported that witnesses were present and that SIAT traffic investigators advised on the inquiry, which established that the driver was drugged.[3] During the procedure the driver was given drug tests, which came back positive for cocaine and marijuana.[1] Radio Sago reported that the driver was then detained by Carabineros.[2]
Captain Castro said the duty prosecutor, the Ministerio Público official on call, ordered that the driver be brought before a judge for a detention review.[1] The driver remained detained at the time of reporting, with his appearance before the competent court to decide his legal situation still pending.[2] T13 quoted Castro saying the respiratory test and narcotest found the driver under the influence of alcohol and positive for marijuana and cocaine.[4] T13 reported the officer was directing traffic outside a bank as part of Teletón, Chile’s annual charity fund-raising broadcast.[4]
The Los Lagos regional security ministry condemned the incident and said it expected the maximum civil and criminal penalties against the driver.[4]
