Car plows into crowd outside Espanyol vs Barcelona injuring 13 people. Police call it an accident

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish officials said that 13 people were hurt when a driver lost control and plowed into a crowd gathered outside a professional soccer match in Barcelona on Thursday. Catalonia police said it was an accident.

The incident occurred in the opening minutes of Barcelona’s game at crosstown rival Espanyol, which concluded with the visitors clinching the Spanish league title.

Emergency services said seven people were taken to nearby hospitals for the treatment of minor injuries, while the remainder were treated on site.

Police said that they had detained the driver, a 34-year-old woman who tested negative for drugs or alcohol. Their investigation remains open.

Salvador Illa, the regional president for Spain’s Catalonia region, said that all the injuries were “minor” and also ruled out any deliberate attack.

The police said in a message on X that the incident presented no danger to the people inside the RCDE stadium.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

By JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press