CATIA LA MAR, LA GUAIRA STATE, VENEZUELA – OCTOBER 7, 2026 26-year-old Mario José Ovalles Ávila suffered devastating injuries in a traffic accident that occurred on El Ejército Avenue. His motorcycle collided with a truck, and the man lost his right leg.
Mario José Ovalles Ávila
According to his brother, the truck driver was making a dangerous turn when the collision occurred. The injured motorcyclist was left lying on the road and bleeding heavily. People at the scene provided first aid and attempted to stop the bleeding using a tourniquet.
The situation was subsequently escalated by the actions of police commissioner Iván José Hernández Nieves, 44. According to witnesses, he refused to transport the injured man to the hospital, saying they had to wait for an ambulance. Bystanders eventually loaded the man into a police vehicle themselves. The incident was captured on video, which spread across social media.
The police officer was subsequently arrested on suspicion of failing to provide assistance. The prosecutor’s office in La Guaira state launched an investigation into the case.
Mario José Ovalles Ávila was taken to the hospital, where he remained in stable condition, according to a report published by the newspaper El Pitazo on October 9. His family appealed to the public for financial assistance to cover medical expenses and the cost of a prosthetic leg.
