Couple killed after car hit head-on by city street racers

14 January 2008

VIGO – A race between two drivers in Vigo ended in tragedy on Saturday night when one of the vehicles crashed head-on against a car coming in the opposite direction, killing its occupants, a couple in their fifties. The victims were driving home after dining with friends in the Galician city when a BMW suddenly drifted into their lane and hit them at high speed. Both died instantly.

Although the identities of the drivers who caused the accident have not been officially disclosed, police said they were a 29-year-old man known by friends as El Coletas and a 30-year-old who goes by the nickname of Makelele. At the wheels of their BMW and Audi A3 respectively, both men began a high-speed street race shortly after 12.30am. When the Audi pulled out to avoid a parked car, the two cars’ wheels touched, sending the BMW out of control and crashing into a Citroën coming in the opposite direction.

Makelele sped off in a panic, although he drove back half an hour later to argue with El Coletas over who had caused the accident. Police arrested both men. Of four other people travelling inside the speeding cars, only one young woman suffered minor injuries. "We don’t want revenge on those responsible, but rather justice to be done," said relatives of the dead couple.

Subject: Spanish news