In a tragic incident on ERS-115 in Três Coroas, Rio Grande do Sul, two women lost their lives while a third cyclist was critically injured following a collision with a car early on Saturday morning. The event unfolded at kilometer 18 of the highway, where the impact resulted in immediate fatalities for the two cyclists. Emergency services responded rapidly to the scene but found that the driver had fled, leading to concerns about the cyclists' well-being and the need for highway blockage in both directions.

According to the Brazilian Military Police's Road Command, the first responders confirmed the deaths on-site and transported the injured cyclist to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. The driver, attempting to escape the scene of the accident, inadvertently left the front license plate behind. This crucial evidence allowed the police to identify the vehicle, which was registered in the nearby city of Gramado, facilitating subsequent investigations.

Using electronic perimeter surveillance systems, the authorities tracked the vehicle’s route and located the driver hours later at his residence in Três Coroas. He was subsequently arrested, raising discussions regarding accountability and road safety in Brazil, particularly concerning tragic incidents involving vulnerable road users like cyclists. The incident has sparked a conversation on the importance of pedestrian and cyclist safety measures on highways across the region.