{"id":18421,"date":"2026-10-30T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=18421"},"modified":"2026-10-30T11:33:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T16:33:43","slug":"panamanian-court-finds-builder-guilty-in-fatal-2018-ph-breeze-accident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/crime-safety\/panamanian-court-finds-builder-guilty-in-fatal-2018-ph-breeze-accident\/","title":{"rendered":"Panamanian Court Finds Builder Guilty in Fatal 2018 PH Breeze Accident"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Panamanian tribunal has convicted a construction company and a resident engineer on involuntary manslaughter charges<\/a> linked to the 2018 PH Breeze parking garage collapse<\/a> in Costa del Este, a case that centered on construction negligence<\/a> Panama<\/strong> prosecutors said violated national structural safety<\/a> codes. The verdict, announced Tuesday by the Attorney General’s Office<\/a>, comes more than eight years after a red Mini Cooper plunged from an upper parking level, killing three people and leaving a fourth with permanent spinal injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ruling followed an oral trial conducted by the Metropolitan Homicide and Femicide Section. Authorities confirmed the guilty finding but did not disclose sentencing details. The prosecution argued that both defendants failed to observe their duty of care during the building’s construction between 2008 and 2011, resulting in a structure that did not meet minimum safety requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2018
The verdict, announced Tuesday by the Attorney General’s Office<\/a>, comes more than eight years after a red Mini Cooper plunged from an upper parking level, killing three people. 2018 PH Breeze parking garage collapse in Costa del Este.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Structural Code Violations and Construction Negligence Panama<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prosecutors built their case around violations of Panama’s Structural Design Regulation<\/a>, known as REP-2004. The Ministry of Public Affairs determined the construction company ignored key provisions of that code while building the residential tower. Investigators said the resident engineer, who oversaw the project, shared criminal responsibility for the deficient work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legal theory hinged on involuntary manslaughter through omission. Rather than alleging intentional harm, the state argued the defendants neglected professional obligations that existed specifically to prevent catastrophic failures. The parking area where the vehicle fell lacked adequate structural barriers or reinforcement, according to evidence presented at trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case marks one of the few instances in Panama where construction professionals faced criminal liability for structural failures. Legal analysts say the verdict could set a precedent for holding builders accountable when code violations lead to deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Se hace justicia por la tragedia del PH Breeze. https:\/\/t.co\/xKmH5g7tp2<\/p>— Foco (@focopanama) October 28, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n