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Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, the driver of the train that crashed earlier this week, killing around 80 passengers in Spain, had an unfortunate need for speed. 

Amo had previously posted on Facebook bragging about going fast – so fast that he was on the brink of getting a fine, reports say. 

Spanish media reported boasts Garzon Amo allegedly posted on Facebook about how fast he was driving a train in March 2012. He is expected to be interviewed on Friday by an investigating judge in possession of the train’s “black box” data recorder.

Amo is said not to be under arrest at this moment, but after the accident on Tuesday, he was in the hospital with a police guard. Two of the survivors, a 52-year-old and the second driver, allegedly took a picture of a train speedometer at 200km/h (124mph).

Amo later posted: 

I’m at the limit and I can’t go any faster or they will give me a fine.

His Facebook page has since been blocked.

Garzon Amo was described in reports a 30-year employee of Renfe who became an assistant driver in 2000 and a fully qualified driver in 2003. He is believed to have taken control of the train from a second driver about 65 miles south of Santiago de Compostela.

According to reports one of the drivers realised what was about to happen before the crash and made a desperate call to Renfe ahead of the bend saying: “I’m going at 190kmh, I’m going to derail.”

In a second call to Renfe after the accident, the driver explained that he was trapped in the train. “We are human, we are human,” he is reported to have said. “I hope there are no dead because they would fall on my conscience.”

Never play with people’s lives! Our prayers go out to the families.

Source: The Guardian