Tragedy in Spain: Jesus Lopez dies in an accident. He was 48 years old.

The seventh edition of the Taboadela hill climb was canceled following the tragic accident that claimed the life of Jesús López from Ourense, known as “Pijo.” The 48-year-old driver lost control of his Forwin RS23 and crashed first into a parked vehicle, then into the wall of a house.

Jesús López died instantly; another driver was seriously injured after being struck by the Forwin RS23, and a spectator sustained minor injuries. The Ourense rally organizers announced López’s death in an official statement.

“Today, one of the great names in Ourense motorsports, Jesús López ‘Pijo,’ passed away during the Subida a Taboadela, a round of the Galician Hill Climb Championship.”

“A tireless driver who competed in nearly every motor racing discipline imaginable, he boasted a list of achievements ranging from hill climbs (Subidas) to rallies, rallysprints, Rallymix, and slaloms. He created one of the most legendary pairings in Galician motorsports, spending many years behind the wheel of his Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, with which he drew thunderous applause at every hill climb,” the statement concludes.