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Potential Legal Issue

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mishakaro
  3/30/2019 09:53 EST

Hi all.
I'm seeking some advice and experiences on what I should do regarding a certain mishap that happened last October.


I bought an apartment in Spain a few years back and I'm now in a position to start living there for 3 months at a time.


In October I was driving (a rental car) back to Madrid airport at 4:30am when I turned off to the airport and unexpectly came across a simple "single wooden arm" gate bar. I tired to stop in time but it popped off. I got out to see if I could pop it back on but it was cracked.

I saw an airport toll booth just up the hill and went and asked a toll operator to come help me. He came, and couldn't help but he took down "rented car" licence plate number. I offered my passport but he seemed in a hurry himself. He didn't speak english. I gestured that I needed to catch my 6:30am flight back to Canada. There was no damage to the car.

I stopped by the airport police station but no one seemed to be inside at 5am. So I proceeded to catch my flight knowing that the car rental company would pass on my contact details.

Later that day I quickly received an email from the car rental company who just inform me that there was no damage to the car and they would return my deposit.
I figured that the police had not contacted them yet so I expected more emails.

I moved on and quickly forgot the whole incident since I expected to be notified of what would come next.


It was just recently that I remembered that I've heard nothing. Now I booked a flight in May to Madrid to start my "retirement" vacation time there.


I'm terribly worried that when I arrive, I will be apprehended and charged for some crimes.


Although the situation is minor in nature, I can't begin to guess what might happen being a foreigner. The gate bar (plus installation)would not run more than a couple thousand euros, which is not the issue with me.

Does anyone know what I should expect and do?


I've never been in trouble with the law so can't even guess what I should do.

Thank you in advance for anything I could learn.

anlgza
  3/30/2019 20:08 EST

No guarantees but I doubt that anything was ever reported. I am sure that gate arm has been broken many times with no one reporting it. I admire your efforts and honesty. Personally I would not worry about it anymore.

While living in Spain, I have had traffic tickets that are generated automatically via cameras and because I used my American credentials (drivers license, credit card, passport) I received the notifications via the rental car company after the ticket was due. Because I hadn't heard anything more from anyone, I wasn't going to worry about it but my spouse insisted that we take care of it. We paid it online with no further acknowledgement.

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mishakaro
  4/3/2019 06:22 EST

Thanks Anlgza

I appreciate it.

I sent you a pm.

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