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By Oscar Okhifo
Spanish police have discussed that excessive speed was the likely cause of the car crash that claimed the life of Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota and his brother on July 3.
According to the Spanish Civil Guard, forensic evidence indicates that the rented Lamborghini Huracán Jota was driving was travelling well above the A-52 motorway’s speed limit when the accident occurred near Cernadilla, Zamora, in northwestern Spain.
Investigators noted that tyre tread marks found at the scene suggest the vehicle was being driven at high speed, possibly during an overtaking manoeuvre, when the rear tyre burst. The resulting blowout caused the car to veer off the road, crash through a guardrail, and ignite in flames.
“The physical evidence at the scene points clearly to marked excessive speed,” a Civil Guard spokesperson said. “The vehicle’s trajectory and the nature of the skid marks show that the driver likely lost control after a tyre failed.”
The crash, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, left the car unrecognisable. Jota and his brother were declared dead at the scene.
Authorities ruled out road defects as a major factor in the crash, noting that the stretch of motorway where the accident happened is not considered a black spot and has a standard speed limit of 120 km/h. However, reports indicate that another serious accident had occurred on the same section just a week prior, raising concerns about overall road safety in the area.
The final expert report will be submitted to the Puebla de Sanabria court handling the case, but early findings point to a combination of excessive speed and mechanical failure, particularly the tyre blowout as the primary causes of the tragic incident. Diogo and his brother Andre have been laid to rest.