Driver Sentenced to Three Years for Crash That Killed Five in San Cristóbal
A driver who rammed parked motorcycles on the 6 de Noviembre highway has been sentenced to three years in prison. Part of the term was suspended.
Key points
- Saudy Javier Abad was sentenced to three years in prison for reckless driving.
- He will serve one year and ten months at Najayo Hombres; the remaining 14 months were suspended.
- The crash happened on August 1, 2025, killing five people and leaving another with permanent injuries.
- In addition to prison, he must pay a fine of 15 minimum public-sector salaries and court costs.
The First Chamber of the Special Traffic Court of San Cristóbal sentenced Saudy Javier Abad, the driver of a truck that, according to the case file, rammed five motorcycles parked on the median of the 6 de Noviembre highway, to three years in prison. The crash killed five people and left another with permanent injuries. Judge Ana Hernández Méndez handed down the sentence after accepting the Public Ministry's request to impose the maximum penalty provided for such cases.
The sentence is partially suspended. Abad must serve one year and ten months at the Najayo Hombres correctional center in San Cristóbal. The remaining 14 months were suspended, subject to conditions set by the sentence enforcement judge. These include living at the address declared to the court, attending road-safety classes run by the National School of Road Education (ENEVIAL), and refraining from excessive alcohol consumption.
If he breaks those rules, the suspension could be revoked and he would have to serve the full three years in prison.
The court also imposed a fine equal to 15 public-sector minimum salaries and court costs. It further ordered Abad, the truck's owner, Saturnino Corporán, and the insurance company to pay compensation to the victims.
The driver was found guilty of violating articles 220 and 303, paragraphs 4 and 5, of Law 63-17 on Mobility, Land Transport, Traffic and Road Safety. These provisions penalize reckless or negligent driving that causes permanent injuries or involuntary deaths, with prison terms of one to three years and fines of 10 to 50 minimum public-sector salaries.
The investigation was led by prosecutor Diandra Olavarría, and Carolina Olivares represented the Public Ministry. The full written ruling is scheduled to be read on November 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
Why it matters
The ruling also orders the driver, the truck owner and the insurance company to compensate the victims. The case is a reminder that reckless driving can carry serious criminal penalties.