What started as a rowdy street party for Mexico’s World Cup victory at the Glorieta Francisco Villa roundabout in Chihuahua late Friday ended with fans sprawled on the pavement and sirens cutting through the celebrations. A gray pickup truck drove into the crowd, tossing people to the ground and leaving multiple victims. Authorities said the driver was detained at the scene, later released under reservation of law after posting bail. One woman remains hospitalized with serious injuries, while other victims were treated for minor wounds.
State prosecutors report six complaints
The Chihuahua attorney general’s office says that five civilians and the state have filed a total of six complaints, five for injuries and one for damage, and that prosecutors are awaiting an initial hearing to formally press charges, according to the Fiscalía General del Estado de Chihuahua. Videos circulating on social media show the pickup accelerating through a dense crowd of fans and knocking people down, scenes that helped spur the municipal response and arrests, as detailed by El Financiero.
Witness footage and arrest details
Witnesses and security cameras captured the tense moments around the vehicle as fans surrounded the pickup after the match. The truck then tried to push through the crowd, and authorities say the driver ultimately lost control and crashed into a light pole at the intersection of Avenida Ortiz Mena and Calle Glandorf, where officers finally took him into custody, according to La Opción de Chihuahua. Emergency crews treated several people at the scene and transported others to nearby hospitals, local outlets report, while footage of the impact and its aftermath spread quickly online, as reported by Proyecto Puente.
Authorities boost patrols before Wednesday's match
In response, state public-safety officials announced they will ramp up police presence at World Cup watch parties and other public gatherings and urged fans to mix passion with a bit of common sense as the tournament rolls on, according to UNO TV. Mexico is scheduled to play Czechia on Wednesday at the Estadio Azteca, per the official FIFA match schedule, making the next game a clear focus for crowd control and security planning.
Legal next steps
The man identified as Óscar C. E. was detained in the terms of flagrancia and will be presented to a ministerial agent who will formulate imputations in the unit that investigates injuries and damages, the Fiscalía General del Estado de Chihuahua says. The Fiscalía also notes that five of the complaints were filed by civilians and one by the state for damage to public infrastructure, per local coverage by El Pionero. Local reporting cited by the El Paso Times says a local paper reported bail was set at about 50,000 pesos (roughly 2,800 dollars). Authorities in Chihuahua have not released the driver’s full surname, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
