A routine traffic stop on a Brazilian highway turned into a high-speed chase that ended with seven people dead, including a 28-year-old social media influencer.
Alana Alves da Silva, known to her nearly 60,000 followers as “Vampira 085,” was one of the victims of a devastating head-on collision on the BR-251 highway near Salinas in the state of Minas Gerais on August 8, 2026. According to Brazil’s Federal Highway Police, the Fiat Cronos she was riding in was carrying approximately 137 kilograms (about 302 pounds) of marijuana when the driver refused to stop for officers and fled at high speed.
After roughly 10 kilometers, the car attempted to pass other vehicles on a curve, crossed into oncoming traffic, and struck a Chevrolet Astra. All four occupants of the second car, men ranging in age from 46 to 79, were killed. Three of the four people in the Fiat also died. A fourth passenger survived in critical condition.
As details about the crash emerged, the story drew international attention because of Alana’s online profile and the circumstances surrounding the incident. Here is what is known so far.
What Happened on the BR-251 Highway
On the afternoon of Saturday, August 8, 2026, officers from Brazil’s Federal Highway Police (Policia Rodoviaria Federal, or PRF) attempted to stop a white Fiat Cronos near kilometer 314 of the BR-251 highway, in the municipality of Salinas, located in northern Minas Gerais.
The vehicle bore license plates from Aracati, a city in the northeastern state of Ceará. According to the PRF, the car failed to comply with the order to stop. The driver accelerated and fled southbound along the highway.
Officers pursued the vehicle for approximately 10 kilometers.
Influencer Alana Alves da Silva, known online as Vampira085, has died in a high speed crash age 28
She was among seven people killed after a car carrying more than 300 pounds of marijuana crashed while fleeing police pic.twitter.com/WAVZeJN62v
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) August 19, 2026
Near kilometer 304 of the BR-251, the Fiat Cronos attempted to overtake four vehicles ahead of it. The driver moved into the opposing lane on a curve, directly into the path of a black Chevrolet Astra traveling in the opposite direction.
The two cars collided head-on.
According to the local fire department, all eight people across both vehicles were trapped in the wreckage. When emergency crews arrived, five were already dead. Three survivors were extracted and transported for medical care. Two of those three later died from their injuries at a hospital in Salinas.
After the crash, investigators recovered 164 individual packages from the Fiat Cronos containing a total of 137 kilograms of cannabis. That is the equivalent of roughly 302 pounds.
Civil Police in the region opened a formal investigation into drug trafficking and criminal association in connection with the seizure.
Who Were the Victims?
Alana Alves da Silva, 28 (passenger): A content creator from Fortaleza, Ceará, known online as “Vampira 085.” She died at the scene of the crash. Authorities have not publicly stated that Alana was involved in, or had knowledge of, the drugs reportedly being transported in the vehicle. She was identified as a passenger.
Pedro Yan Linhares Gutierrez, 24 (driver): According to Civil Police delegate Douglas Ferraz Veloso, Gutierrez did not hold a valid driver’s license. He was also wearing an electronic ankle monitoring device at the time of the crash and had pending drug-trafficking charges in the state of Ceará. He was transported to a hospital in Salinas, where he died of his injuries.
Ramon Silverio Nogueira, 19 (passenger): Originally from Aracati, Ceará, the same city whose license plates were on the Fiat Cronos. He was also taken to the hospital in Salinas, where he died.
Leticia Freitas Braga, 21 (passenger): The sole survivor from the Fiat Cronos. According to the Civil Police, she sustained a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures and remained hospitalized in critical condition as of the most recent reports.
Chevrolet Astra occupants (all killed at the scene)
The four men in the oncoming car were all from the municipality of Ruy Barbosa in the state of Bahia:
- Argemiro Machado da Silva, 79
- Valmir Machado da Silva, 76
- Alcides Silva Santos, 77
- Gilmar Bispo dos Santos, 46
All four died at the scene. The municipal government of Ruy Barbosa issued a public statement mourning their deaths and assisted in returning their remains to their families.
Bodies from the crash were transferred to the medical examiner’s office in Taiobeiras for examination and identification. By Sunday, August 9, six of the seven bodies had been released to families.
Who Was Alana Alves da Silva?
Alana Alves da Silva was a 28-year-old Brazilian content creator born in the state of Ceará who lived in Fortaleza, the state capital. On social media, she went by the name “Vampira 085,” a handle that combined a nickname with Fortaleza’s area code. She had accumulated close to 60,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.
Her content was varied. She posted day-in-the-life videos, comedy sketches, and prank videos, often collaborating with other content creators in the Fortaleza area who made humorous clips. She also shared fitness content, workout routines, and posts promoting healthy living.
Latina Fitness: her business
Beyond content creation, Alana ran an online fitness-fashion brand called Latina Fitness, through which she sold workout clothing. She used her social media platforms to market the brand, blending her personal content with her business in the way that is common among Brazilian digital entrepreneurs in the fitness space.
Public reaction
Alana’s death generated a wave of responses from her followers and the broader online community in Brazil. Fans described her as someone with “a great heart” and said the Brazilian internet “lost a star.” Her Instagram account remained active after her death, becoming a space where followers posted tributes.
The attention her story received internationally, particularly after English-language outlets reported on the crash in mid-August, reflected a broader pattern: incidents involving social media influencers tend to gain traction across borders in ways that similar tragedies involving private individuals typically do not.
The Driver: A History of Legal Trouble
One of the most significant details to emerge from the investigation centers on the driver of the Fiat Cronos, Pedro Yan Linhares Gutierrez.
According to regional Civil Police chief Douglas Ferraz Veloso, Gutierrez was 24 years old and did not possess a valid driver’s license at the time of the crash. He was also wearing an electronic ankle monitor, a device typically issued in Brazil as a condition of provisional release or home detention in connection with a pending criminal case. The police chief confirmed that Gutierrez had open drug-trafficking charges in the state of Ceará.
Ramon Silverio Nogueira, 19, one of the other passengers who died, was from Aracati, Ceará, the same city whose license plates appeared on the Fiat Cronos.
The Civil Police has opened a formal inquiry into the drug-trafficking and criminal-association aspects of the case. Because Gutierrez and two other occupants of the Fiat died, their criminal liability is legally extinguished under Brazilian law. Investigators are expected to focus on identifying any broader network connected to the transport of the cannabis.
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What Remains Unknown
Several important questions remain unanswered as the investigation continues:
Did Alana know about the drugs? Authorities have not publicly stated that Alana Alves da Silva was aware of or involved in the marijuana being transported in the vehicle. She has been identified as a passenger. Reporting from Brazilian outlets has been careful on this point, noting what investigators have and have not said.
What was the purpose of the trip? The route from Ceará through northern Minas Gerais is a known corridor for drug transport in Brazil, but no official statement has been released about the intended destination of the cannabis or why Alana and the other passengers were traveling in the vehicle.
What is the condition of the surviving passenger? As of the most recent reports, Leticia Freitas Braga, 21, remained in critical condition with a traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures. Her account of the events, if and when she is able to provide one, may be significant to the investigation.
Timeline of Events
- August 8, 2026 (afternoon): Federal Highway Police attempt to stop a Fiat Cronos at km 314 of the BR-251 near Salinas, Minas Gerais. The driver does not comply and flees.
- Minutes later: After approximately 10 km of pursuit, the Fiat Cronos attempts to overtake traffic on a curve near km 304 and collides head-on with a Chevrolet Astra.
- Immediately after the crash: Emergency crews arrive to find eight people trapped in wreckage. Five are already dead. Three are extracted and transported to hospital.
- Later on August 8: Alana Alves da Silva is confirmed dead at the scene. Pedro Yan Linhares Gutierrez and Ramon Silverio Nogueira die at the hospital in Salinas.
- August 8 (post-crash): Police recover 164 packages containing 137 kg of marijuana from the Fiat Cronos. Civil Police open an investigation.
- August 9: Six of the seven bodies are released to families after examination at the medical examiner’s office in Taiobeiras.
- August 10: GCMais and other Ceará-based outlets identify Alana as “Vampira 085” and report on her social media presence.
- August 15-19: English-language media, including People, Dexerto, IBTimes, and others, publish reports on the crash, drawing international attention.
Why This Story Matters
While much of the coverage has focused on Alana because of her public profile, it is worth pausing on the four men in the Chevrolet Astra who were killed through no fault of their own. Three of them were aged, aged 76, 77, and 79. The youngest was 46. They were traveling along a public highway and were struck by a vehicle that was fleeing police at high speed in the oncoming lane. Their deaths are a direct consequence of the decision to run from the traffic stop.
The municipality of Ruy Barbosa, Bahia, their hometown, publicly mourned them and assisted their families with arrangements. Their story is central to this incident, even as the headlines tend to center on the influencer.
Drug trafficking on Brazilian highways
The seizure of 137 kg of cannabis during this stop is consistent with a persistent problem in Brazil. Federal highways, particularly routes connecting the northeast to other states, are frequently used as transportation corridors for drugs. The BR-251, which runs through northern Minas Gerais, passes through rural areas with limited police presence between checkpoints.
The fact that the driver was already under electronic monitoring for drug-trafficking charges at the time of the crash raises questions about how effectively monitoring systems track individuals who are on provisional release.
A pattern of influencer tragedies
Alana’s death is part of a broader, uncomfortable trend of influencers and content creators dying in violent or sudden circumstances. In recent months alone, Mormon influencer Chandler David Hendry died in a car crash, a 17-year-old beauty influencer was killed in a helicopter accident, and a Chinese supernatural content creator died in a vehicle collision. Each case draws intense media attention in part because of the public nature of the victims’ lives, creating a strange intersection of grief, curiosity, and online spectacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Alana Alves da Silva?
Alana Alves da Silva was a 28-year-old Brazilian fitness influencer and content creator known online as “Vampira 085.” She had nearly 60,000 followers on Instagram and also ran an online fitness clothing brand called Latina Fitness. She lived in Fortaleza, Ceará.
How did Alana Alves da Silva die?
She died in a head-on collision on the BR-251 highway near Salinas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, on August 8, 2026. She was a passenger in a Fiat Cronos that fled from a police traffic stop. The car crossed into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle.
How many people died in the crash?
Seven people died in total. Three were in the Fiat Cronos (including Alana) and four were in the Chevrolet Astra that was struck.
Was Alana Alves da Silva involved in drug trafficking?
Authorities have not publicly stated that Alana was involved in or knew about the drugs being transported in the vehicle. She was identified as a passenger.
How much marijuana was found in the car?
Police recovered 164 packages containing approximately 137 kilograms (302 pounds) of marijuana from the Fiat Cronos after the crash.
Who was driving the car?
The driver was Pedro Yan Linhares Gutierrez, 24. He did not have a valid driver’s license, was wearing an electronic ankle monitor, and had pending drug-trafficking charges in Ceará. He died at a hospital following the crash.
Did anyone survive in the Fiat Cronos?
One passenger, a 21-year-old woman, survived but was in critical condition with traumatic brain injuries and multiple fractures.
Who were the victims in the other car?
The four occupants of the Chevrolet Astra, all from Ruy Barbosa, Bahia, were Argemiro Machado da Silva (79), Valmir Machado da Silva (76), Alcides Silva Santos (77), and Gilmar Bispo dos Santos (46). All died at the scene.
What does “Vampira 085” mean?
“Vampira” was Alana’s online nickname. “085” is the telephone area code for Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará and the city where she lived. Combining a nickname with a local area code is a common practice among Brazilian content creators.
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Last Updated on August 19, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
