A 20-year-old footballer was killed in a horrific crash while driving home from a street carnival.
Early investigations suggest Sebastián Traverso lost control of his Ford EcoSport, crossed into the opposite lane, and collided head-on with a Toyota Hilux.
He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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The two occupants of the Toyota were also taken to hospital, with injuries described by local media as “of varying severity”.
The accident occurred Saturday (14 Feb) morning on Provincial Route 2 near Castelli, in Argentina’s Buenos Aires Province.
A family member told local media: “Yesterday we were asleep and heard the siren.
“Lately there have been so many forest fires that we all thought, ‘Poor firefighter, another fire,’ and then a short time later we woke up to this nightmare.”
According to the family, Sebastián was returning from Dolores, where he had spent the night at the carnival with friends and his girlfriend.
“What we can gather is that he fell asleep and crossed into the other lane,” the relative said.
“He was athletic, a football player, and very friendly.”
Sebastián, a native of Castelli, played for local side Independiente FC, who compete in the regional leagues of Buenos Aires Province.
The club paid tribute: “Sebastián will be fondly remembered and respected by all who shared his passion for football and his dedication to the club.”
Sebastián previously played for Los Picas, River, Estudiantes de La Plata, and Villa San Carlos, and also had a stint playing futsal, as reported by Need To Know.
The Castelli prosecutor’s office is investigating the crash, which has been classified as manslaughter.
Forensic tests will determine whether Sebastián had been drinking.
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