The incident took place around 04:30 AM, when a car driving against traffic on the inner lane of the M-40, attempting to evade police patrols, crashed head-on into a van. The collision occurred near exit 19A, between the Madrid districts of Puente de Vallecas and Villa de Vallecas.

The force of the impact left the drivers of both vehicles trapped, requiring intervention from the Madrid City Council Fire Department for their extrication. Samur-Protección Civil teams attended to four people at the scene, three of whom were in serious condition. Additionally, it was confirmed that two of those involved were taken into police custody.

Among the injured, the 34-year-old driver of the car was intubated and transported in serious condition to Hospital 12 de Octubre with chest, abdominal, and pelvic trauma. A 30-year-old woman, a passenger in the same vehicle, was taken to Hospital Gregorio Marañón with severe thoracoabdominal trauma. The 45-year-old van driver was transferred to Hospital La Paz with potentially serious thoracoabdominal trauma. Finally, a 23-year-old woman, with minor head trauma, was also taken to Hospital 12 de Octubre.

Patrols from the Madrid Municipal Police escorted the ambulance convoys to ensure rapid admission of the injured to hospitals. The investigation into the causes of the escape and the traffic violation is ongoing under the supervision of the competent authorities.