LUCENA CITY – A jeepney driver was killed and eight of his passengers were wounded after the vehicle lost its brakes in Catanauan, Quezon, Monday afternoon, police said Tuesday.

Senior Police Officer 1 Randy Mabasa, Catanauan police investigator, identified the victim as one Redson Lazarte, 27, and resident of San Andres town.

In his report to the Quezon police headquarters here in Camp Nakar, Mabasa said the vehicle, which was also loaded with sacks of copra, banana and charcoal, was going up along the portion of the Bondoc Peninsula highway in the village of Ajos when the jeep suddenly lost its brakes.

The driver tried to control the vehicle as it was fast moving backward but it still slammed into the steel railings along the side of the road causing the jeep to fall to its side, pinning the driver to death.

“The driver jumped out of the vehicle before it slammed into the railing. Unfortunately, he was pinned down when the jeep fell on its side,” Chief Inspector Elmar Sillador, Catanauan police chief told the Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone.

The wounded identified as Daniel, Elmomie, Daniela, Edecel, Daniel Jr. John Mark, Lanie, all surnamed Lazarte; and Francis Moran, were rushed to the Bondoc Peninsula District Hospital in Catanauan.

Quoting police investigators, Sillador said the ill-fated vehicle was overloaded with passengers and cargoes when it left San Andres.