Two killed, others hurt in weekend accidents

A 14-year-old boy and a 33-year-old woman died while several persons were injured in separate vehicular accidents in southern Cebu last week.

A pick-up driven by a 47-year-old barangay captain bumped a trisikad in barangay Poblacion, Carcar City, killing one passenger and injuring two others as well as the driver yesterday.

Rodley Gleocam was declared dead at the Carcar Emergency Hospital.

The 19-year-old trisikad driver Jomer Lauganas and passengers, Jarold Degran, 14, and Jesrel Barcelo, 15, are confined at the South General Hospital (SGH) in Naga City.

Ferdinand Ponce, a barangay captain in Poblacion, Sibonga town, surrendered to the police after the incident.

Police investigation revealed that Ponce was headed to Sibonga town on board his Nissan Frontier pick-up past 1 a.m.

Police said Lauganas, who was heading to sitio Tugas, attempted a U-turn but the pick-up bumped his trisikad, sending it crashing to the iron railings at the roadside.

Lauganas and the three passengers were thrown off the trisikad and crashed on the concrete pavement.  Residents in the area brought the victims to the hospital.

Police said Gleocam sustained severe head injuries while the other victims sustained body injuries. The trisikad was badly damaged.

PO3 Vicente Garces of the Carcar police said Ponce reached a settlement with the victims’ families.

In San Fernando town, a mini-bus lost its brakes and crashed into four motorcycles resulting in a woman’s death and injuring seven people.

Police identified the fatality as Jovelyn Nierras of Sibonga town.

Jovelyn’s 37-year-old husband Richard and their nine-year-old son Richbond; 23-year-old Sherwin William Amistoso, of barangay Balud, Dalaguete town; 31-year-old Miguel Sapanta of barangay Doldol, Dumanjug town; 48-year-old Nelson Paraiso, of barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City; 22-year-old Sarah Mae Martinez and 14-year-old Angel Mae Colina were brought to the SGH and were later transferred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

The 41-year-old mini-bus driver Mario Cajutay is detained in the San Fernando police precinct.

Police said Cajutay drove a Mark Isuzu mini-bus bearing plate GWR-214 that was headed to Sibonga town at 8 p.m. last Saturday.

When Cajutay reached barangay San Isidro the mini-bus lost its brakes and hit the motorcycles driven by Richard, Amistoso, Sapanta and Paraiso.

Richard’s back riders were Jovelyn and Richbond, Amistoso’s back rider was Martinez while Paraiso’s back rider was Colina.  Cajutay said he just drove the mini-bus in moderate speed.

Police said the victims were thrown off their motorcycle and crashed on the concrete pavement.

Police said Nierras’ and Amistoso’s motorcycles were sent hurtling about 215 feet from the mini-bus.

Police said Jovelyn sustained severe head injuries while the other victims sustained body injuries.

The pickup’s bumper was damaged and the windshield cracked.

Cajutay’s passengers were unharmed. They are still waiting for bus owner Eugene Sarucan to issue a statement to their office.

Charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and multiple physical injuries will be filed against Cajutay before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office today.

The mini-bus and the motorcycles were held under police custody.

About 30  minutes before the incident, a 63-year-old woman was injured after being hit by a motorist while crossing the street in barangay Pasil, Santander town.

Alma Miñao is recuperating in the Oslob District Hospital. Felipe Cueto was arrested by the police after the incident. /Rhea Ruth V. Rosell, Reporter