App Driver Charged with Attempted Homicide After Wrong-Way Crash on Rio-Niterói Bridge

RIO DE JANEIRO – An app driver has been formally accused by the Public Ministry of double attempted qualified homicide following a severe head-on collision on the Rio-Niterói Bridge. The incident, which occurred in February last year, involved the driver intentionally entering the wrong lane to avoid an estimated 40-minute delay.Surveillance footage from the bridge’s monitoring system captured the alarming moments leading up to the crash. The vehicle, already traveling against the flow of traffic, narrowly avoided several cars before colliding directly with a motorcycle. Both occupants of the motorcycle were violently thrown to the ground upon impact.The victims were identified as Jandyr Gonçalves Vieira, a civil police officer who was driving the motorcycle, and his girlfriend, Dr. Luciana Damas Fernandes. Mr. Vieira sustained significant injuries, including head trauma that caused six months of vertigo, and severe bruising to his back. Dr. Fernandes suffered a ruptured knee ligament, multiple abrasions, and a fractured finger, necessitating complex reconstructive surgery and rendering her unable to bear weight for nearly six months. She expressed ongoing chronic pain and sadness over the restrictions imposed by her injuries.In his police statement, the driver, Wesley da Silva Floriano, 43, claimed his GPS malfunctioned, leading him to mistakenly enter the bridge in the wrong direction. He stated he believed it was possible to turn back by driving against traffic, activating his hazard lights. However, the Public Ministry asserts that Mr. Floriano’s actions were driven by "base motives," demonstrating cruelty and leaving the victims with no chance of defense. The case continues to unfold as legal proceedings advance.