Son Castelló: Private Ambulance Under the Influence of Drugs – Motorcyclist Dies

Crash in Son Castelló: When an Ambulance Itself Becomes a Hazard

Yesterday around 1:10 p.m., a deafening impact shattered the usual midday quiet in the Son Castelló industrial area. On Calle Industria, two vehicles lay on their sides, paramedics and bystanders crowded the scene. The 66-year-old motorcyclist was resuscitated at the site but later died — despite rapid rescue efforts.

Regulars at a café on the small plaza recall the clinking of glass, the whistling of barrier tape and the constant hum of forklifts that is part of everyday life here. An espresso was left half-drunk; neighbors watched from balconies, some with tears in their eyes. The question on many lips later was: How can a vehicle that is supposed to save lives become a lethal danger?

The Driver: Positive Drug Test, Investigation Underway

Police sources confirm that the driver of the private ambulance tested positive for cocaine in a preliminary drug screening. He was detained temporarily and questioned at the scene. Roads were closed for hours and traffic was redirected via Camí de Son Castelló. Investigators are securing evidence, reviewing camera footage and interviewing numerous witnesses — yet the inquiries themselves do not answer all the concerns of local residents.

Many in Son Castelló are shaken in two ways: on the one hand, mourning for the deceased and his relatives, who place flowers and candles on the plaza; on the other, a sense that trust in emergency services has been damaged. On social media some report narrowly avoided collisions involving private emergency vehicles. In an area where delivery vans honk daily and technicians with oil-stained hands work on vehicles, skepticism toward privately run services is growing.

Core Question: Why Could an Ambulance, Intended to Save Lives, Become Dangerous?

This question is not only legally relevant, it strikes at the heart of what a promise of help means. Those who call emergency services expect trained professionals and reliable equipment. When that image is eroded by an incident like the one in Son Castelló, it concerns more than a single driver: it is about structures, controls and responsibility.

Too rarely discussed in the public debate are the working conditions under which private ambulance services operate. Flexible contracts, long shifts, inadequate supervision or the lack of routine checks are not marginal issues but potential risk factors. The question of which vehicles are actually allowed to use special privileges and how their usage is documented is also often neglected.

What Is Often Overlooked: Systemic Weaknesses Instead of Personal Blame

It is easy in such moments to condemn an individual. That pains relatives and can be justified. But the debate should also shed light on structural causes: How are private providers licensed? Are mandatory training, psychological suitability assessments or random drug tests in place? Are operation data centrally recorded and analyzed? In Son Castelló today there were voices denouncing exactly these gaps.

Concrete Steps That Make Sense Now

1) Regular and unannounced drug tests for personnel using special privileges. Such tests must be contractually anchored and legally secured to be effective.

2) "Black box" recordings in emergency vehicles: GPS, speed, use of blue lights and sirens as well as dashcam data should be routinely stored to make accidents traceable.

3) Uniform standards for training, continuing education and psychological suitability — also for private providers. Uniformity means: the same exams, the same minimum requirements.

4) Transparency and oversight: a public register of approved providers, regular audits by the health authority and clear channels for citizen complaints.

5) Public awareness: education on how to behave around vehicles with blue lights and what rights emergency vehicles have. Less chaos on the road often means less risk.

Outlook: Investigations, Consequences, Need for Reform

Legal action against the driver is possible, as are employment-related measures against the operator of the vehicle. But criminal proceedings alone are not enough to restore trust. In Son Castelló people are laying flowers and asking questions today. If authorities, operators and citizens engage in dialogue, the crisis can become a turning point — toward clearer rules, better controls and reliable standards.

The loud bang yesterday will linger in the neighbors' ears for a long time. The answer to how such tragedies can be prevented in the future must be significantly louder than the hum of forklifts on Calle Industria.