4 killed, 3 hurt as SUV rams tree in Cagayan

Road crash (INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO)

Four people, among them two teenagers, were killed when their sports utility vehicle rammed a tree on the roadside before flipping over in Gonzaga town in Cagayan on Saturday afternoon.

A report from the Gonzaga police said the accident killed 23-year-old bank employee Nikolo Aquino, who was driving the vehicle; his girlfriend Nicole Keziah Nuega; Jeng Baquiran and a 16-year old female high school student.

The police said three other passengers — Joshua De Guzman, 24; an 18-year old male; and a 19-year old female college student — suffered serious injuries.

Investigators said Aquino may have fallen asleep on the wheel as the vehicle, an Isuzu MU-X, traversed a long straight road in Barangay (village) Calayan.

The group was reportedly driving from the beach in Santa Ana town, and was heading home to Tuguegarao City, when they crashed at around 3 p.m.

“The victims were driving home with another van in a convoy, but passengers in the other vehicle noted the MU-X was too fast, because they could not keep up with it,” said Senior Inspector Jovencio Calagui, chief investigator.