Rescue attempt ends in tragedy: man is run over while saving a lizard
A well-intentioned man was run over in Paraguay while trying to rescue a lizard on the road
In Paraguay, an attempt to save an animal in danger ended tragically. Luis Ricardo Coronel, 33 years old, was run over while trying to rescue an injured teju guasu lizard that was in the middle of the PY04 road, at kilometer 44, between San Ignacio and Pilar. The incident occurred on Sunday morning, September 29, when Coronel, who was traveling with his cousins, decided to stop after seeing the reptile on the asphalt.
Unfortunately, when he got out of his vehicle to help the lizard, Coronel was hit by a blue Toyota IST car driven by Mirtha Tereza Delgado, according to a local media report.
The strong impact caused multiple injuries, including a severe head trauma and fractures to his face, arm, hip and leg.
He was immediately transferred to the San Ignacio District Hospital and, due to the severity of his injuries, later to the Asunción Trauma Hospital, where he remains in intensive care.
Coronel's wife, Selva Griffiths, told a local media outlet that so far the driver of the vehicle has not offered any help or contacted the family. Despite having been released by the Prosecutor's Office after the accident, Griffiths expressed her concern about the lack of responsibility of the driver involved. "She has not yet contacted us," she lamented.
This Thursday, October 3, Coronel will undergo a new surgical intervention to receive a stabilizer in his leg, which will be the beginning of a long and rigorous recovery process.