Defense alleges “misperception” of the accused in the case of the death of a garbage collector in Santiago

Santiago. – The coordinating judge of the Instruction Courts, José Rafael de Asís Burgos, ordered preventive detention this Monday against seven men accused of participating in the death of garbage collector Deivy Carlos Abreu Quezada, which occurred after a traffic conflict with a motorcyclist in this city. The defendants, identified as Adony Antonio Ureña Ventura, Andrés Monclú González, Carlos Andrés Roa Morán, Miguel García Balbuena, Joanfry Joel Núñez, Juan Carlos Soto Ortiz and Kevin Francisco Metz Cruz, were sent to the Rafey Men’s Correction and Rehabilitation Center, while the Public Ministry continues the investigations of the case. According to the authorities, the incident originated from a vehicular collision that led to a collective assault against the victim, who worked as a driver of a garbage collection truck. The incident, which was recorded on video, shows how several individuals reacted violently without clearly knowing the prior circumstances of the altercation.

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After the hearing, lawyer Rusell Aracena, representing one of the accused, explained that his client acted under a misperception of the facts, believing that the victim had committed a serious offense. However, he acknowledged that the reaction was disproportionate and that the actions of those involved generated severe legal consequences.

The court considered that the defendants’ conduct showed a lack of control and respect for public order, even in the vicinity of the Courthouse, which justified the imposition of the most severe coercive measure. Furthermore, the Public Ministry maintained that this case sends a clear message to the citizenry about the legal consequences of violent acts, even when these arise from seemingly minor situations. The defense indicated that it will seek to provide new evidence to obtain a less severe legal qualification in favor of its clients, while the judicial process advances.