A police officer was arrested on Friday morning after being confirmed as the driver in a serious traffic accident in downtown Santiago. The officer, a corporal from the Santiago 4th Precinct, was driving while intoxicated when he collided with a vehicle at the intersection of Tarapacá and San Francisco streets.
The crash left a woman in critical condition after she was ejected from a rideshare vehicle passing through the area. According to reports from Cooperativa RSS, the officer not only caused the collision but also fled the scene alongside four other adults, leaving the victims without assistance.
Following the accident, the officer went to the San Miguel police station to report his car as stolen. However, Felipe Olivari, the Metropolitan Prosecutor for the North-Central zone, detailed that investigations conducted throughout the morning proved the officer was indeed the driver.
"Initially, he filed a report for the possible theft of his vehicle, but through the investigations we conducted this morning, we were able to prove that this was not true and that he was, in fact, the person driving the vehicle," Olivari told Cooperativa RSS.
Investigation into vehicle irregularities and other suspects
Security cameras in the area captured the moment the driver and his passengers fled the scene. A specific detail led to the corporal's identification: according to Cooperativa RSS, the officer briefly returned to his car, but instead of helping the injured, he retrieved an object from the vehicle and fled once again.
The criminal investigation has gained a new dimension after it was discovered that the vehicle involved had irregularities regarding its windows, which did not match the chassis or engine numbers. Additionally, the vehicle had an active theft warrant.
Meanwhile, CNN Chile reported that General Manuel Cifuentes, Head of the Metropolitan Zone, stated the institution's stance on the case. The high-ranking official assured that the force does not condone such behavior and that administrative measures will be taken if the findings are confirmed.
"It is important to state clearly and transparently that we do not condone this type of conduct; therefore, that individual or police officer will have to answer to the justice system for his criminal actions," Cifuentes told CNN Chile.
The general also indicated that the institution could proceed with the officer's dismissal if the facts are substantiated. Regarding the other four occupants of the vehicle, the police authority noted that Carabineros is working to identify them, as the Prosecutor's Office has requested specialized teams to investigate whether the passengers are also members of the force.
