A SPECTATOR died while seven others, including a 19-year-old motocross driver, were injured at a motocross competition at Purok 6 in Barangay Ising in Carmen town, Davao del Norte province on Saturday, June 16, a grim reminder that spectators have to be restricted at a secure distance in extreme sports like this.

A report from the Police Regional Office – Davao Region (PRO 11) identified the fatality as one Tirso Casuga, 26, a resident of Carmen.

Injured were motocross driver Kent Jerecho C. Dimaano, 19; Gretchan E. Lagat, 28; Efren Abella Jr., 27; Christian Taba, 15; Jazhin Generoso, 13; Jeric Tranquilan, 18; and Christian Corton, 15.

The motocross competition had just started at around 6:30 a.m. Saturday in Carmen National High School grounds in Purok 6 when Dimaano lost control of his speeding motorcycle at a curve and mowed down the crowd.

Casuga died on the spot while the injured were brought to a nearby hospital.