This morning, a highly emotional atmosphere filled the courtroom of the Court of Justice during the criminal case against the 36-year-old Colombian national, O.D.P. He stands accused of striking a tourist mother and her daughter with his car and fleeing the scene. The mother, L.Wernet, later passed away.
It was understood that the daughter, Rodriguez, appearing via video conference, demanded a life sentence for O.D.P. for striking them with his car and leaving.
Charges
The Prosecutor accuses the 36-year-old Colombian man, O.D.P., a resident of Aruba, of striking two pedestrians while driving on December 27, 2025. This resulted in the death of one of the individuals, L.Wernet. D.P. was driving under the influence of alcohol, failed to pay attention to the road, drove without proper lights, and drove with darkly tinted windows.
Via video conference, the victim’s daughter, M.Rodriguez, followed the court proceedings and exercised her right to speak.
Mother and daughter struck by car and driver flees
The Judge pointed out that according to the police report, the accident occurred around 7:30 PM. Police found both victims in serious condition, while the driver had fled. L.Wernet was admitted to intensive care and passed away in January 2026.
O.D.P. apologized to Rodriguez, stating it was not his intention. Rodriguez appeared deeply saddened and was crying.
The Judge asked how O.D.P. struck them. According to O.D.P., the road is not suitable for walking because it is overgrown with weeds. He told the Judge that people walking on the sidewalk step away from the overgrowth and walk on the road to continue moving. The Judge asked D.O.P. if he saw them. O.D.P. stated he saw them on the road about 2 meters away but could do nothing. In response to the Judge’s questions, O.D.P. said he was aware of the road conditions. The Judge then asked if that should not have been a reason to pay closer attention to people stepping onto the road. According to O.D.P., the overgrown brush was cleared after the accident.
The Judge noted that the question remains why O.D.P. did not see Rodriguez and her mother, Wernet. O.D.P. claimed he saw them walking, and at a certain point, they bypassed the brush and stepped onto the road. At that moment, he could no longer swerve. The Judge remarked that O.D.P. knew the road conditions and should have been more attentive to what the two individuals might do, whether they would stop or continue walking. The Judge felt O.D.P. should have anticipated their actions. O.D.P. responded that he should have stopped but continued driving because he did not anticipate them stepping onto the road.
Under the influence
The Judge noted that O.D.P. had been drinking with friends at Bam Bam Café for 4 hours. Surveillance footage from the bar showed exactly how much he drank. The Judge asked O.D.P. if the drinks had affected his reaction time. O.D.P. claimed he was fully aware and that the drinks had no influence on him. The Judge remarked that 220 micrograms of alcohol is the legal limit for driving, which equates to roughly 2 beers. The Judge pointed out that video footage showed O.D.P. consuming 9 beers and 7 shots, which is far beyond the legal limit. The Judge asked if the tinted windows made it difficult for O.D.P. to see the people. O.D.P. claimed he could see fine. However, the Judge pointed out that O.D.P. had told the police it is difficult for him to see at night. The Judge also noted that investigation showed the car’s headlights were not functioning properly.
Fleeing and hiding the car
Despite O.D.P. maintaining he could see fine, the Judge noted that on January 23, 2026, the police arrested him for fleeing after striking the two people. The Judge pointed out that police reviewed security footage showing O.D.P. leaving Bam Bam Café. O.D.P. told the Judge he was in shock after hitting the pedestrians, which is why he did not go to the police.
The Judge then noted that O.D.P. went to hide the car. O.D.P. admitted he left the car with a friend in Alto Vista.
Fear of turning himself in
The Judge remarked that while it is understandable for a person to be in shock and later go to the police, O.D.P. did not do so. O.D.P. told the Judge that many thoughts were racing through his mind, which is why he did not turn himself in, admitting he was afraid.
The Judge pointed out that police spoke to a woman driving in the opposite direction, who stated she saw a pickup truck driving erratically (zigzagging) with poor lighting. The Judge noted that O.D.P. was driving behind that pickup truck. The Judge added that video footage showed O.D.P. leaving Bam Bam Café walking drunk. O.D.P. insisted he was fine. The Judge went on to say that security cameras near Fantastic Garden showed O.P.D. driving in the opposite lane. O.D.P. claimed that was due to an oversight, not because he was drunk. The Judge further noted that at approximately 7:37 PM, security cameras on Caya Musica showed O.D.P. braking, a loud sound is heard, and the Honda Fit swerves and drives away. Car horns can be heard, and people are seen getting out of their vehicles to rush to where the pedestrians were hit.
The Judge mentioned that police interviewed several witnesses, including O.D.P.’s colleagues who were at Bam Bam Café. They stated everyone was drinking heavily, including O.D.P. O.D.P. denied drinking heavily.
It turned out that after the accident, O.D.P. returned to Bam Bam Café. He claimed he went back to buy food for his cousin.
Police eventually found the hidden car in Alto Vista. They determined the windows were overly tinted and the lights were faulty, concluding the car was unfit for the road. O.D.P.’s car and cell phone were confiscated.
Victim demands life sentence
An emotional Rodriguez told the Judge that this was one of the most tragic moments of her life. She shared how deeply she was affected by her mother’s passing as a result of the incident. She explained that she is emotionally scarred and suffers from flashbacks. Crying, Rodriguez said her mother was everything to her, adding that it was their first time vacationing in Aruba. She noted that the accident left a scar on her forehead, which shattered her self-esteem. She no longer goes out, stays home, and suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among other things.
Rodriguez asked the Judge to give O.D.P. a life sentence for what he did.
Driver begs for forgiveness
O.D.P. was visibly too emotional to speak at first. It took a moment before he apologized to Rodriguez. Crying, he said the few words he could offer could not bring Rodriguez’s mother back. Both O.D.P. and Rodriguez were in tears. He expressed that he knows Rodriguez is suffering because of his actions and hopes she can forgive him.
The Judge pointed out that in 2022, O.D.P. had a previous case for driving under the influence, for which he had to pay a 300-florin fine and attend a course on the dangers of drunk driving. The Judge remarked that despite taking the course, O.D.P. still went to drink at Bam Bam Café, got behind the wheel, and caused a fatal accident.
Prosecutor demands 3 years in prison
The Prosecutor stated that the mother and daughter came to Aruba for a vacation, which ended in a tragedy where the mother passed away after a period in intensive care. Rodriguez now has to live without her mother. The Prosecutor believes O.D.P. is at fault for causing this accident. The investigation shows O.D.P. spent 4 hours drinking with friends at Bam Bam Café. Upon leaving, he struck Rodriguez and her mother, Wernet, and fled. The Prosecutor finds O.D.P.’s driving was reckless, pointing out that the headlights were faulty, the windows were tinted, and despite knowing the conditions on Caya Musica, he failed to take precaution. The Prosecutor holds O.D.P. responsible for Wernet’s death and highlighted that he fled after the crash.
Regarding the sentencing, the Prosecutor noted that while Rodriguez demanded a life sentence, that is not applicable under Aruban law. The Prosecutor stated O.D.P. must live with the fact that he took a life, and demanded a sentence of 3 years in prison and a 4-year suspension of his driver’s license. The cell phone can be returned to O.D.P., but the car must remain confiscated.
Defense Counsel
Defense attorney Mr. Carlo expressed his condolences to Rodriguez. He argued that O.D.P. was not driving recklessly and requested his acquittal. He stated that the police did not perform a breathalyzer or blood test on O.D.P. In the attorney’s opinion, it cannot be proven that O.D.P. was under the influence of alcohol, and therefore he should be acquitted. The lawyer argued that O.D.P. could not avoid the accident. The sidewalk was blocked by brush, forcing pedestrians to step onto the road to continue walking. Because of this, O.D.P. could not swerve in time when the two individuals stepped onto the street. He also noted that no autopsy was performed to determine Wernet’s exact cause of death. The attorney pointed out that an oncoming witness stated they saw a large vehicle, resembling a police patrol car, driving erratically and striking the two people. The lawyer stated that O.D.P panicked and fled after the accident, asking the Judge to consider this when rendering a verdict. The defense believes O.D.P.’s sentence should not exceed the time he has already served in pre-trial detention.
The Judge closed the case proceedings and announced that the verdict will be delivered on July 3, 2026.