TWO people were killed when a Dakar Rally support truck from Argentina slammed head-on into another vehicle, police said.
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The accident occurred near Pejerreyes, 400 kilometres north of Santiago near the route of Monday's planned ninth stage between La Serena and Copiapo.
The support truck, carrying tyres for rally contestants, was operated by an Argentinian company. It was travelling with a Dakar Rally logistical support car.
According to the initial police reports, Argentinian truck driver Marcelo Sanchez crossed the centre line for an unknown reason and hit the smaller oncoming vehicle. The vehicle's two Peruvian occupants were killed. Sanchez was jailed pending an investigation, police said.
The famed race is being held in South America because of terrorist fears in Africa, and has already been marred by the death of French motorcyclist Pascal Terry.
Friday's stage brought the race from Argentina into Chile for the first time.
During the stage, Carlos Sainz kept Volkswagen on course for a Dakar clean sweep as nine-time winner Stephane Peterhansel pulled out, dealing a hammer blow to Mitsubishi's hopes of an eighth successive title.
Sainz, a former world rally champion, clinched a seventh stage shortened because of heavy rain, finishing seven minutes, 48 seconds ahead of South African Volkswagen teammate Giniel de Villiers.
It was the Spaniard's third stage win of the 2009 edition and gave him an overall lead of nine seconds after a 243km special from Mendoza in Argentina.
The third Volkswagen, driven by American Mark Miller, took second on the stage, 3:41 behind Sainz, and he is now third overall.
