Monster truck plows into crowd at Popayán exhibition, Colombia.
NEWS:
A monster truck drove into a crowd during a private vehicle exhibition in Popayán, Colombia, killing three people and injuring more than 40 others after the driver lost control near the end of a stunt run.
The crash happened on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at the Bulevar Rose lot, where the event “Monster Truck 2026” was being held. The show included modified trucks with oversized tires and other motorsport-style demonstrations. Municipal officials later said the emergency left three people dead, including two minors, and more than 40 people injured.
Video recorded at the event shows the monster truck completing a jump over an obstacle before continuing forward toward the spectator area. The vehicle does not stop inside the performance lane. It veers out of the course and drives into the crowd, where people were watching from close range. Other footage from the scene shows people on the ground while bystanders shout for help and try to assist the injured.
The truck involved was identified in local reports as “La Dragona.” The driver was identified in Colombian reporting as Sonia Segura, also referred to in later reports as Sonia Dilma Segura Moreno. She was among the injured and was treated after the crash. Authorities did not announce a criminal finding against her in the immediate aftermath.
A police commander in Popayán said the preliminary hypothesis pointed to a mechanical failure. According to that account, the vehicle accelerated, could not brake, left the track, struck a pole and then hit spectators. Municipal officials later cautioned that it was still too early to state the exact cause as a fact, saying the vehicle, the drivers and the event conditions had to be examined as part of the investigation.
Emergency crews, firefighters, Civil Defense personnel and medical responders went to the scene. The injured were taken to several medical centers in Popayán. A later municipal health update said 29 patients remained hospitalized across the city’s hospital network, most of them stable, while some had reserved diagnoses. Several patients had already been discharged after receiving treatment.
Officials said the event was private and had drawn about 1,500 attendees. Municipal representatives said the organizers had experience with similar shows in other Colombian cities and that the event had documentation, permits and insurance coverage. Those points became part of the later scrutiny because the crash raised questions about whether the site, barriers and crowd separation were adequate for a high-powered monster truck exhibition.
The Popayán municipal government said it activated emergency protocols immediately after the crash and began coordinating with hospitals, rescue agencies and judicial authorities. The mayor ordered a rigorous investigation and said institutional resources were being used to support victims and their families.
A later disciplinary review was opened by the Personería Municipal of Popayán, focusing on the permits granted for the event and the safety conditions in place to protect spectators. That review was separate from the criminal investigation and was aimed at determining possible administrative responsibility related to the authorization and oversight of the show.
The prosecutor’s office was also reported to be collecting physical evidence and moving forward with urgent investigative steps. Municipal officials said they had requested speed in determining what happened, but also said the final cause should wait for technical findings rather than speculation.
Later reports said the defense team for Segura rejected claims that she had fled or tried to avoid authorities. Her lawyers said she had no active restriction on her freedom and would appear with counsel if summoned. The defense also said she and her family had received threats after the crash.
No final public finding available in the reviewed material established whether the crash was caused by mechanical failure, driver error, event safety failures or a combination of factors. The confirmed facts are that the truck left the exhibition path, entered the spectator area, killed three people and injured more than 40 during the Popayán event.
