LUCENA CITY – A senior citizen died while three other individuals were injured in a vehicular crash along Maharlika Highway in Sariaya, Quezon before dawn Wednesday, police said.
Lt. Colonel William Angway Jr, Sariaya police chief, identified the fatality as Pedro Mojica, a retired government employee and resident of Barangay Mangilag Sur, Candelaria, Quezon.
Initial investigation showed that a Manila-bound van driven by Ariel Reyta overtook another vehicle and hit the bumper of a car driven by Kim Salubayba in Barangay Sto. Cristo past midnight.
Salubayba lost control of his vehicle, which swerved to the opposite lane and crashed onto the vehicle driven by Mojica.
Mojica sustained serious injuries and died while being taken to Lucena United Doctors Hospital in Lucena City.
Gian Pineda, one of the rescuers from Sariaya Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, said his team brought Salubayba and his two passengers to a hospital in nearby Candelaria town.
Police later discovered that found out that Salubayba and his companions fled after receiving medical attention.