Leandro Hernández, a 21-year-old forward for Colo Colo, was arrested in Santiago, the capital of Chile, in the early hours of Sunday 8 November 2026 after a car crash. Colo Colo, a Santiago club with 34 Chilean top-flight titles before this season, went on to win the title that afternoon away at Ñublense, a club from Chillán in southern Chile, to take the Liga de Primera, Chile’s top league, for the 35th time.
Later on Sunday a court formalised the case, the step in Chile where prosecutors formally state the allegations and the court sets measures, over driving under the influence causing serious injuries. Hernández was not in the squad that travelled to Chillán, and reports say he was recovering from a sprain.
Key Facts
- Who: Leandro Hernández, 21, Colo Colo forward, presumed innocent.
- What: Formalised, meaning formally put under investigation, for driving under the influence causing serious injuries.
- Where and when: Providencia, a Santiago district, around 05:00 on Sunday 8 November 2026.
- Next: The court set 120 days for the investigation. Prosecutors still await the definitive blood test result.
What We Know
The crash happened around 05:00 at the junction of Avenida Los Leones and Avenida Pocuro in Providencia. Carabineros, Chile’s uniformed national police, said a breath test showed 1.2 grams of alcohol per litre of blood.
Lieutenant Francisco Cabezas, head of the police sub-station in Providencia Sur, confirmed the figure. He said Hernández stayed at the scene until police arrived and was then detained.
Prosecutors say the result of the blood test, which sets the definitive alcohol level, is still pending. Police said Hernández would be taken to a medical centre for that test.
The driver of the other car was taken by SAMU, Chile’s emergency medical service, to Hospital del Salvador. The driver remains in hospital with several fractures but is out of danger to life.
Andrea Contreras, a prosecutor with Fiscalía Oriente, the eastern Santiago prosecutors’ office, said early on that, preliminarily, one car went through a red light and it was the detained driver’s. Prosecutors later said the legal classification could change as the driver’s condition develops.
What Happened in Court
Patricia Ibarra, a prosecutor handling cases of suspects caught in the act at the same office, said Hernández is investigated for driving under the influence causing damage and serious injuries. At the hearing he was formalised, so the charges were formally put to him.
Ibarra said security-camera footage obtained during the investigation shows Hernández crossed the junction on a red light. She said it also shows him hitting the victim’s car at high speed, displacing it along its path.
This is the prosecution’s account of the footage. Hernández is presumed innocent, and his defence position has not been reported.
The court imposed an arraigo nacional, a nationwide travel ban, and ordered him to sign in monthly. His driving licence was retained, so he may not drive while the measure lasts.
The court set 120 days for the investigation, and prosecutors say they await the blood test results. Ibarra said he faces between 541 days and three years in prison if the serious injuries classification holds.
The prosecutor added that a fine and a possible loss of licence for five years are also possible. No court has ruled on guilt, and Hernández is presumed innocent.
What Is Not Known
The definitive blood test result for Hernández is pending. The 1.2 g/L figure comes from the police breath test, and prosecutors say the blood result is still awaited.
A blood sample was also ordered from the other driver, and no result is available. Prosecutors say the charge could still change with the injured driver’s medical progress.
It is unclear whether anyone else was in Hernández’s car, and his defence position has not been reported. The investigation has 120 days to run.
What It Means for You
Travellers who drive in Chile should note that police ran a breath test in this case. The court then imposed a travel ban, monthly signing and retention of his licence.
Chile’s justice process presumes innocence until a court rules, and none has done so here. The 120-day investigation will test the prosecution’s account of the camera footage.
The blood test result, which prosecutors await, is the next fact to watch. For more on the club, see an earlier report on Colo Colo’s jersey-brand dispute and our Santiago city page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Leandro Hernández?
Leandro Hernández is a 21-year-old forward for Colo Colo, a club from Santiago. He was arrested in Santiago on Sunday 8 November 2026 after a crash.
What are the allegations?
He is investigated for driving under the influence causing damage and serious injuries. He was formalised in court on Sunday and is presumed innocent.
What did the court decide?
The court imposed a nationwide travel ban and monthly signing, and retained his driving licence. The court set 120 days for the investigation.
What did the alcohol test show?
Carabineros reported 1.2 grams of alcohol per litre of blood in a breath test. The result of the blood test has not been reported.
Sources: Carabineros de Chile statements, Chile’s prosecution service (Ministerio Público), court hearing of 8 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error