A man has been sentenced to eight years and ten months in prison for stealing a truck and running over six people during a religious event in downtown Guadalajara. The incident took place on October 26, 2024, outside the Cathedral, where hundreds of families were attending a Catholic prayer gathering. Sergio Arturo, the perpetrator, must also pay fines and reparations for damages and injuries.
On October 26, 2024, during a religious event organized by Catholic associations and the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, a truck crashed into a crowd gathered outside Guadalajara Cathedral on Paseo Fray Antonio Alcalde. The driver, Sergio Arturo, had violently stolen the black 2010 General Motors Acadia near Mercado Corona, just a few streets away. Under the influence of drugs, Arturo drove through pedestrian areas on Morelos and Zaragoza streets, colliding with a white Dodge Attitude and damaging newspaper stands and shops.
Six people were injured, including an 18-year-old woman with a left leg injury and femur fracture, another around 48 years old with a left patella fracture and cervical sprain, and a man dragged under the truck with multiple injuries. The owners' underage child was aboard, while the owners followed on foot. Religious attendees stopped Arturo by pulling him from the vehicle.
In an abbreviated trial, he was held responsible for qualified robbery, property damage, and injuries. The sentence comprises eight years and ten months in prison, plus a 197,667-peso fine and reparations for psychological damage, vehicle repairs, and medical expenses. Police and rescue teams mounted a significant response in the downtown pedestrian zone.
