The 20-year-old, who caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Paralympics when he beat South Africa's Oscar Pistorius at London 2012, was involved in the accident while driving home from a nightclub in Belem, the capital of Pará state, a police spokesman said. 

Oliveira and four other people were driving in the Belem metropolitan area when he lost control of his vehicle and hit the back of a bus, transit police spokesman Germano Garcia told the Globo network.

Two of the passengers in the car were taken to hospital, along with one other person suffering from serious injuries.

But Oliveira, who had both legs amputated at the age of 21 days after an intestinal infection led to septicemia, escaped with suffering just minor injuries to his chest and arm.

The car (pictured above) was a write-off.

Oliveira allegedly showed signs of being intoxicated when he was questioned by officers, Garcia said.


A test found that Oliveira had a blood alcohol level of 0.22, a reading that qualifies as a serious traffic infraction and is punishable with a driver's licence suspension of 12 months under Brazilian law, Garcia said.

Oliveira claimed he fell asleep at the wheel due to exhaustion but denied having consumed alcoholic beverages.

"Thank God all is well with me and my friends," said Oliveira after leaving the police station.

"My elbow is a little sore and I have pain in the chest and arm, from the impact of the strike."

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