CAMP OLIVAS – Seven persons were killed while nine others sustained serious injuries after a minibus hit a passenger tricycle, a “kolong-kolong”, a waiting shed and an electric post along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Barangay San Isidro, Lubao on Dec. 26.
A police report here identified six of the fatalities as Jun Valencia, 35, driver of the tricycle; May Anne Mendoza, 25; Julian Mcklain Mendoza, a 1-year-old infant; Justin Castro, 22; Trisha Gogolin, 22; and bus conductor Armando De Guzman, 51.
Initial investigation showed that the tricycle driven by Valencia was traveling towards the City of San Fernando when an Oster Liner minibus (CXR-488) driven by Orlando Bangit, 68, bumped it from behind, causing it to swerve on the road’s shoulder and its driver and passengers thrown out of the vehicle.
The minibus then ran over some of the victims and continued speeding, bumping a kolong-kolong and hitting a waiting shed and an electric post located at least 50 meters away.
Two persons (Castro and Gogolin) in the waiting shed were killed after the structure was pulverized by the impact. The concrete electric post was cut into several parts and caused a power outage in the town.
As of press time, police investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the accident. They have yet to interrogate the bus driver who was being treated at the Jose B. Lingad Regional Hospital in San Fernando.
Seven of the injured were taken to the said hospital while the two others were taken to the Lubao District Hospital.
Police said the minibus driver will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple injuries and damage to properties.
