The man who was driving the high-speed train that killed 79 people in Spain last week is now being charged with 79 counts of homicide and several offenses of bodily harm.
Francisco Garzon (pictured above), 52, has been under arrest since Thursday.
Garzon is suspected of driving the train too fast through a tight curve in Santiago de Compostela, a northwestern city in Spain. He has admitted to this, telling a judge he had a momentary lapse. The lapse caused the train to crash into a concrete wall, burst into flames, and go flying over an embankment.
Investigations reveal that the train was in tip-top shape before leaving the station, equipped with all the required safety measures. The president of state train operator Renfe said, “As far as we know, the train was in perfect condition when it set off on its journey.”
Trains have been a central part of Garzon’s life. His father worked for the railway, he grew up in housing owned by Renfe, and he has driven a train for 30 years.
The city of Santiago had planned to celebrate the yearly festival of St. James on July 25, but instead, found themselves grieving over the many lost lives. The city’s centuries-old cathedral was surrounded by people bringing candles and flowers for the deceased.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was born in Santiago, will return to the city today for an official funeral ceremony for the victims.
SOURCE: HuffingtonPost
