Driver who ran over and killed 18-year-old in Ponta Grossa didn't have a license
Claudinei Lima Fagundes was hit by a Ford Ranger pickup while with family and friends on the way to a fishing trip; driver fled the scene and the vehicle was found by the Military Police hours later
The driver suspected of running over and killing Claudinei Lima Fagundes, 18, in Avenida Pedro Wosgrau, in Ponta Grossa, would not have a National License (CNH). The information adds a new element to the investigation into the accident that occurred in the early hours of Sunday (18), in the region of Cara-Cara.
The vehicle is said to be responsible for the crash that took the young man's life, who was accompanied by family and friends when he was hit. The case is being investigated to clarify the circumstances of the hit and the driver's liability.
A young man was on his way to a fishery when he was hit.
The hitting occurred around 5:15 a.m. on Sunday (18), at Avenida Pedro Wosgrau, near the access to the Industrial District of Ponta Grossa. According to the military police, Claudinei was accompanied by three other men, who followed by bicycle to a fishing village. During the journey, the group stopped on the sidewalk to take pictures of the bicycles and the landscape.
It was at this moment that a Ford Ranger van came off the track and hit members of the group. Claudinei suffered serious injuries and died on the spot before he could be taken to the hospital. Others involved suffered minor injuries.
The driver got out of the truck and ran away without assistance.
One of the most serious points of the occurrence is the conduct attributed to the driver after the impact. According to witnesses reported to the Military Police, the driver stopped the truck, disembarked and watched the young man fall to the ground. He then returned to the vehicle and left the scene without providing any help.
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Witnesses reported the situation to the police who attended the incident. The driver’s attitude also began to integrate the elements considered in the investigation.
Police found a truck with its front destroyed
The military police were able to locate the suspected truck on Sunday (18), approximately five hours after the hit. The vehicle was parked in the garage of a residence in the Cará-Cará neighborhood, where it was found around 10 am, after diligences of the Local Intelligence Agency (ALI) of the 1st Battalion of the Military Police.
The Ford Ranger had significant damage to the front, consistent with being involved in a collision. According to the PM, the person in charge of the property reported that a relative had used the truck the night before and returned during the early hours of the morning.
When asked about the damage, the man admitted to being involved in a traffic accident. Later, he left the residence without telling where he was going. The Civil Police were notified, and the vehicle remained at the disposal of the authorities responsible for the investigation.
Family Lawyer Points to Excess Speed and Serves Responsibility
The lawyer Fernando Madureira, who represents Claudinei’s relatives, also spoke about the hit and highlighted the gravity of the circumstances reported by witnesses. According to Madureira, the truck was traveling at a very high speed when it hit the victims. He also claimed that Claudinei was thrown more than 30 meters after the impact.
According to the lawyer, no braking marks were observed at the site of the hitch, a circumstance that, in his assessment, reinforces the suspicion of excessive speed. The family's defense also stressed that the driver left the scene and that a police investigation was instituted to investigate the case.
The claims about the speed and distance of the pitch depend on confirmation by the experts and other elements of the investigation.
Driver can be held criminally responsible for the crash
The investigation should clarify whether there was recklessness, negligence or other circumstances that could influence the criminal framework of the occurrence. If the absence of a license is confirmed, the situation should also be analyzed by the authorities in light of the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB).
In addition, the suspicion of an escape without assistance may have legal consequences. Depending on the findings of the investigation, the driver will be able to answer for crimes related to the death of the victim and his conduct after the hitch.
The final framework will depend on the analysis of the Civil Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Claudinei was buried in Ponta Grossa
The death of Claudinei Lima Fagundes caused a stir among family and friends. The young man was born on July 4, 2008, in Ponta Grossa, and had turned 18 a few months before the tragedy.
The funeral took place in the Municipal Chapel of Jardim Paraíso, and the burial was scheduled for Monday (19), at 4 p.m., in the Cemetery São Vicente of Paula, known as Vicentino.
Civil Police Investigate the Case
Until the last public update consulted, there was no official confirmation of the driver’s arrest. A report published on Monday (19) reported that the man identified as a suspect had communicated to the Civil Police his intention to present himself at the police station in the following days.
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The investigation should gather testimonies, images and expert examinations to determine how the van hit the victims, the speed of the vehicle and the circumstances of the escape.
The official confirmation of the driver’s license status, his possible attendance at the police station and possible indictments still depend on the update of the police authorities.
