A British tourist has been seriously injured in a car crash that killed another woman after a driver believed to be ‘high on laughing gas’ mounted the kerb and ploughed into a group of people in Spain.
The British woman, 23, was rushed to Ibiza’s main hospital, Can Misses, after the fatal Jeep crash, which took place at 11.15am on Sunday in San Jose, a municipality on the popular party island.
Three women, described locally as ‘foreigners’, were walking along the pavement together when the Jeep Wrangler smashed into them near Es Pueto beach bar opposite the popular Playa des Pouet beach.
The Brit is said to be ‘stable and conscious’ while the nationalities of the two other women, including the one who died, are yet to be confirmed.
The other survivor, who is at a separate hospital, the Nuestra Senora del Rosario Polyclinic, is said to be ‘very seriously injured’ after the crash.
An Irishman, who is believed to have consumed nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, before mounting the pavement, knocked down a lamp-post before crashing into a restaurant wall and the women.
The car eventually came to a standstill on the pavement just a few feet away from a pedestrian crossing. He has since been arrested.
The driver, aged around 30, failed a drugs test at the scene and has been arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs, manslaughter due to gross negligence and serious injury due to gross negligence.
A British tourist has been seriously injured in a car crash that killed another woman after a driver crashed into a pavement
The car eventually came to a standstill on the pavement just a few feet away from a pedestrian crossing. The driver has since been arrested
The fatal crash took place near Es Pueto beach bar opposite the popular Playa des Pouet beach
A spokesperson for San Jose Town Hall said police had arrested an ‘Irish driver after he hit three people in the Es Pueto area, resulting in one fatality and two serious injuries.
‘The detainee was accused of reckless driving, driving under the influence of drugs, manslaughter due to gross negligence and serious injury due to gross negligence, after initial investigations revealed evidence of nitrous oxide consumption moments before the accident.’
They added: ‘In the coming hours, data will be extracted from the vehicle’s control unit, which will provide quantitative information about the driving at the time of the incident.
‘It should be noted that citizen cooperation and the large number of people and vehicles in the area have facilitated the location of witnesses and images that are assisting the investigation.’
According to San Jose’s mayor Vicent Roig the accident began in the municipality of San Jose and ended in neighbouring San Antonio. Both police forces originally collaborated on the crash.
The Foreign Office said they had not been approached for consular assistance for the crash but remain ready to support British nationals overseas.
Meanwhile, last month two British holidaymakers were seriously injured after being hit by a car in Ibiza driven by a 24-year-old Spaniard.
Mothers Ebony Cordingley, 26 and Lauren Holmes, 27, were rushed to intensive care units following a 2am accident.
The pair, from Bradford, were hit by a Toyota Corolla and remained in hospital for weeks.
