Previously unreleased images from the trial of Fernando Sastre contain more than 10 hours of testimony from 11 people and highlight conflicting accounts of what happened after his Porsche crashed into the car of ride-hailing driver Ornaldo da Silva Viana.
Sastre was convicted on Thursday and sentenced to 17 years, one month and 10 days in prison. The court found him guilty of qualified homicide with eventual intent, a legal concept applied when a person assumes the risk of causing a death.
Witnesses gave differing accounts of attempts to provide assistance and of Sastre’s departure from the crash site. One person who approached him said the businessman told them to leave and be quiet when asked whether he was all right. Sastre denied making that remark during the trial.
Another disputed point concerned a proposed trip to the hospital. Sastre’s mother, Daniela Cristina de Medeiros, asked police for permission to take him to a medical facility for a scan. However, the two returned home instead of going to the Hospital São Luiz. Sastre said his mother gave him medication and that he fell asleep on a sofa.
During his testimony, Sastre acknowledged for the first time that he had consumed alcohol on the night of the crash, which occurred on March 30, 2024. He said he had gone to a restaurant with his girlfriend, Giovanna, and friends Marcos Vinícius Machado Rocha and Juliana de Toledo Simões. The group later went to a poker house, where food and drinks were available until after 2 a.m.
Juliana said she noticed that Sastre appeared impaired when they left and confirmed that the friends argued because they did not want him to drive. Marcos also said Sastre decided to take the wheel. The friends traveled in separate cars, with Marcos in the Porsche and Giovanna and Juliana in the other vehicle.
Sastre said he remembered seeing a car ahead of him and then had no further memory before the collision. His Porsche struck the vehicle driven by Ornaldo, a 52-year-old ride-hailing driver who was returning home after work.
Witnesses said people at the scene tried to help Ornaldo and that some individuals appeared to be attempting to leave. One witness said people had to hold those involved to prevent them from departing. Another said Sastre’s mother arrived shortly afterward and tried to remove him from the area. Police later released him after collecting his information.
Prosecutor Rodolfo Morais argued that the defense had presented several contradictions. He said a defense expert disputed vehicle defects identified by the family’s expert, despite Porsche’s position on the matter. Morais also said a video undermined arguments that there was insufficient evidence Sastre had been drinking.
Sastre did not take a breathalyzer test at the crash site. The police officers involved in the incident are facing administrative proceedings. The prosecutor said, however, that a breath test was not the only possible evidence of alcohol consumption. Witnesses described Sastre as unsteady and said his speech was slurred, while Marcos confirmed that everyone in the group had consumed alcohol. The restaurant bill listed eight drinks, one caipirinha and two waters.
The speed of the Porsche was also contested. An initial examination estimated that the vehicle was traveling at nearly 115 km/h at the time of the collision. After Sastre challenged the result, a second examination estimated an even higher speed of 136 km/h.
Ornaldo died despite immediate assistance and medical rescue efforts. Before the verdict, his son Lucas Morais da Silva addressed the jury and asked for a sentence reflecting the seriousness of the case.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office said it would appeal in an attempt to increase the punishment. Sastre’s defense said it accepted the decision calmly but disagreed with the outcome and would also appeal the conviction.
Sources: G1.