TWELVE people were hurt when a passenger bus crashed into a tree and a dump truck slammed into a house after trying to avoid a head-on collision in Barangay Pangdan, City of Naga around 5:30 a.m. Thursday, December 6.
Traffic investigators of the City of Naga Police Station reported that the passenger bus, owned by the Calvo Bus Liners and driven by Rammel Villaver, 45, was traveling from Balamban to Cebu City when it encountered a blue dump truck driven by Leonardo Lasan, who was heading toward the opposite direction.
Based on investigation, Lasan attempted to overtake another vehicle in front of him, causing him to encroach the opposite lane.
Lasan, however, failed to return to his lane and his truck almost collided with the passenger bus. The truck then slammed into a nearby house owned by Eladio Parame, 47.
Villaver, on the other hand, quickly swerved the bus toward a tree to avoid collision with Lasan's truck.
Parame, who was inside the house at that time, sustained several injuries due to the accident and had to be brought to the Cebu South General Hospital in Barangay Tuyan, City of Naga for immediate treatment.
Aside from Parame, also injured were bus passengers Carlos Basak, 48; Enrico Jumawan, 57; Mickey Lastima, 37; Paul Paran, 37; Etwin Botawi, 37; Raul Caburnay; Maria Lourdes Garcia, 40; Benjamin Barbadillo, 59; Angelita Hermosa, 59; Jennifer Dela Torre, 18; and Raul Bertuldo.
Except for Parame, majority of those hurt in the accident are from Toledo City and Balamban town.
The injured passengers were brought to a hospital for treatment.
Villaver turned himself in to the local police for investigation, while Lasan reportedly fled from the area after the accident.
Villaver’s conductor, Doding Baluardo, said that Lasan was over speeding when they encountered him in Barangay Pangdan.
“Kusog man kaayo to siya nga niovertake. Mao tong dali kaayo nakalihay ang akong driver (He was too fast in overtaking. That is why, my driver quickly swerved away from the truck),” Baluardo said. (JKV)