Thursday, September 04, 2008
Van pins multicab, killing driver, choking traffic at north highway
THE driver of a multicab died when a container van fell from a prime mover and landed on his vehicle, pinning the driver inside, in Barangay Jugan, Consolacion, Cebu.
Another person was injured in the accident, which aggravated rush hour traffic in the northern town.
Traffic enforcer Criscencio Onggo, one of those who investigated the accident, identified the fatality as Jay Laude, 36, of Barangay San Vicente, Liloan, Cebu.
The driver of the prime mover (GWL 534), Raul Pananganan Jr., 30, of Teltrans Inc. surrendered to the police.
Onggo said the accident occurred past 4 p.m. It took the team from the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (Eruf) and the police three hours to remove Laude from the crushed multicab.
Laude’s companion, who remained unidentified as of press time, was also injured, Onggo said.
Another multicab (GCD 175) was also damaged, but those inside were unharmed.
Onggo, who sketched the scene, said initial information indicated that Pananganan tried to evade a taxicab but in the process lost control of the prime mover.
The container van transported by the prime mover snapped free and fell from the truck, landing on the hood of a multicab in the opposite lane.
“Naipit ang driver (The driver got pinned),” Onggo said.
Pananganan, in an interview over DyAB radio, said he was on the highway, heading toward Pier 6 in Cebu City from Liloan, when a taxicab suddenly turned left.
To avoid hitting the taxicab, Pananganan slammed on the brakes. The container van loaded at the back of the prime mover, however, swung and fell on the multicab.
“Ang kargamento nako kay milabyog sa lubot… wa nako kapugong kay wa nako kabawi sa manobela (I couldn’t regain control of the steering wheel before the container van swung),” he said.
He said he was driving only about 40 kilometers per hour, because the cargo was heavy.
Pananganan is temporarily detained at the Consolacion Police Station waiting for the complaints to be filed against him. (JST)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 4, 2008 issue)
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