Spain: Train driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo charged with homicide

The World

Spanish train driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo was provisionally charged Sunday with 79 counts of reckless homicide in connection with last week's crash near Santiago de Compostela, which killed 79 people.

He is also charged with "an undetermined number of counts of causing injury" by recklessness, according to CNN.

Garzon, who arrived at court in handcuffs, was released on bail but has surrendered his passport.

The court statement said he must appear before a court once a week and cannot leave Spain without permission for six months.

More from GlobalPost: Driver of derailed Spanish train refusing to talk to police: reports

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the accident but reports said the train was travelling at over twice the speed limit before it crashed.

Eyewitness Evaristo Iglesias told the BBC he overheard Garzon admitting moments after the crash that he had attempted to slow down, but "it was too late."

Faced with the sight of the wreckage, Garzon kept "saying he wanted to die," Iglesias told the network.

A memorial service for the victims is scheduled for Monday, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and Crown Prince Felipe planning to attend.

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