Cordoba, Argentina— Three people were killed Saturday in a highway collision involving a commercial truck on National Route 9 near Cordoba, a major freight corridor linking the province to Buenos Aires.
The crash happened at 2:15 p.m. near the town of Jesus Maria. Police said a grain truck attempted to overtake a slower vehicle and hit an oncoming Fiat Cronos head-on. The car was crushed. The truck jackknifed and spilled cargo.
All three occupants of the car died instantly. They were a family from Cordoba city. The truck driver, 38, survived with minor injuries. He was taken to Hospital Vicente Agüero for testing.
Firefighters worked two hours to cut the bodies from the wreck. The road was littered with grain and fuel. Two kilometers of traffic stopped in both directions under harsh sun.
"We heard a loud bang. Then dust. The truck was in the wrong lane," a witness who was driving behind the car said. "There was no time to brake."
Cordoba Provincial Police said the truck was carrying 28 tons, close to the legal limit. Its brakes and tachograph are being inspected. Alcohol tests on the truck driver came back negative.
Route 9 is notorious for deadly overtakes. Narrow lanes, no divider, heavy truck traffic. Residents have protested for months demanding duplication of the stretch. Nothing has been done.
Prosecutor Guillermo Gonzalez said charges of negligent homicide are being evaluated. The truck company, based in Rosario, sent a lawyer to the scene.
The highway was partially reopened at 6 p.m. with one lane controlled by police. Cleanup continued into the evening.
The investigation is open. Police are asking for dashcam video from drivers who were on Route 9 Saturday afternoon.
Published by Banx Network. This article is part of the Banx decentralized media programme, powered by the BXE token on the XRP Ledger.
