Five people died and seven were injured after a truck with brake failure collided with several vehicles waiting at the traffic light at the Pedrozo intersection in Ypacaraí on Saturday night. The accident occurred at kilometer 42 of the PY02 highway, on a steep descent from Cerro Caacupé, where the combination of a sharp incline and mechanical failures has already caused similar tragedies in recent years.
The Scania truck, model year 1998, was transporting bricks and was driven by Víctor Raúl Delacruz, 48. According to police, the driver reported that he noticed the brake failure after passing the emergency escape ramp installed at the site to prevent accidents. Security camera footage shows the vehicle ignoring the ramp and advancing at high speed until it hit the cars stopped at the traffic light. Among the fatalities were Marcelo Ávalos, a Senate employee, his wife Fátima Silva and their two children, aged 18 and 9, as well as a fifth victim, María Concepción Domínguez, 58.
The Public Prosecutor's Office charged Delacruz with negligent homicide, alleging that he was driving above the speed limit and did not use the escape ramp. The driver, who underwent a breathalyzer test that came back negative, remains in custody. The investigation is also analyzing possible concurrent responsibilities, such as road conditions and delays in works promised for the site.
The Pedrozo intersection is considered one of the most dangerous points on the PY02 highway. In September 2024, a similar accident left six dead at the same location. The region has recorded serious accidents since 2013, including incidents in 2017, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Following the 2024 tragedy, the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC) announced measures such as the installation of speed cameras and the construction of a transversal overpass to eliminate the traffic light, but the works remain unfinished.
The mayor of Ypacaraí, Fernando Negrete, criticized the MOPC's management for prioritizing temporary solutions, like the traffic light, instead of executing a longitudinal overpass or a bypass, alternatives considered safer. Negrete stated that the traffic light was installed as a temporary measure, but the definitive work, scheduled for completion in June of this year, faces delays due to legal disputes over land expropriations. The Deputy Minister of Public Works, Hugo Arce, estimated that the transversal overpass could be finalized in five or six months, allowing for the removal of the traffic light.
Opposition senators, led by Líder Amarilla (PLRA), presented a request to interpellate the MOPC minister, Claudia Centurión, accusing her of "criminal negligence" for the delays in the works and the lack of safety on the stretch. Amarilla classified the tragedy as a result of corruption and demanded the minister's removal. The request, however, faces resistance from the pro-government bloc, which argues that interpellation should not be used as a tool for condemnation. The President of the Senate, Basilio Núñez, criticized the initiative as opportunistic and advocated for a broader debate on road safety in the country.
While the political debate intensifies, the victims' families and local residents demand definitive solutions to prevent new tragedies. The escape ramp, although it has prevented accidents on other occasions, proved insufficient to stop heavy vehicles with mechanical failures. Experts point out that the combination of rigorous enforcement, vehicle maintenance, and adequate infrastructure is essential to reduce risks at critical points like Pedrozo.