Wayward car driven by doctor hits, kills man

A 20-year-old man was killed while two others were critically injured after a doctor lost control of his car and ran over the victims in barangay Mabago, Badian town, Cebu.

Dr. Samson dela Peña, 58, rural health officer of Alegria town, admitted to the police that he fell asleep while driving his white Mitsubishi Galant Sedan shortly before

6 p.m. on Thursday.

Dela Peña was detained at the Badian police station but he was later released after the victims’ relatives decided not to press charges against him, police said.

Police identified the fatality as Climaco Alquizar, a fisherman, who suffered head injuries and fractured bones.

Edieberto Cabalieda, 52,and Juncarl Aspacio, 23, were rushed to a Cebu City hospital after sustaining injuries. The victims were residents of the barangay.

Police said the car swerved to the left lane and hit the victims who were sitting by the roadside.

Alquizar was dragged a few meters before the car with plate number GDM-587 hit the wall of a house and crashed to the shore, PO2 Randy Balansag, investigator of the Badian police.

Police said Dela Peña may have been too tired after a whole day’s work at Alegria Rural Health center causing him to fall asleep on the wheel.

Dela Peña was driving home during the accident. The doctor came from Alegria which is 18 kilometers from the doctor’s residence in barangay Banhigan, Badian.

Balansag and other policemen headed by Senior Insp. Rico Romaguere, officer-in-charge of Badian police, were patrolling in a nearby barangay when they learned about the accident.

Balansag said they saw some residents confronting the doctor when they arrived.

“Maayo nalang naabtan namo kay gikupot-kupotan na gyud siya sa mga tawo didto, hapit na gyud tingale to siya kulataha (Good thing we arrived there on time since he was already accosted by some residents. Probably he was about to get lynched),” he said.

Police said it helped that the doctor was known in the area and that the people were hesitant to harm him.

Police said the doctor promised to shoulder the medical expenses of the injured men and the burial expenses of the fatality./WITH CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC