Conductor killed, 3 hurt as bus hits parked truck

A bus conductor was killed while three other men were injured when a Benguet-bound passenger bus crashed into a 10-wheeler parked by the side of the road in Makati City Sunday.

The accident happened at 1:30 a.m. between a JAC Liner bus from Laguna and a truck which had stopped on the northbound lane of Osmeña Highway after one of its tires went flat, Senior Police Officer 1 Rommel Salvador, Makati police traffic investigator, said on the phone.

The crash claimed the life of bus conductor Ricky Monton who was pronounced dead on arrival at Makati Medical Center.

Salvador said Monton, a resident of Lucena City, suffered fatal injuries in the head and abdomen due to the impact.

Bus passenger Henry Abrera, 27; truck helpers Marvin Penaverde, 23 and Harold Escalante, 27; meanwhile, were undergoing treatment at Ospital ng Makati.

Penaverde and Escalante were changing the truck’s flat tire at the time of the accident.

Salvador said the truck (CTC 447) was parked on the rightmost side of Osmeña Highway near the corner of Arnaiz Avenue when the bus (TZQ 424) hit its rear.

“One of the helpers was even working under the truck when it happened. But luckily, he only suffered minor injuries,” the traffic officer added.

JAC bus driver Ilagan Policarpio escaped after the accident. His passengers told investigators that he did not appear to be hurt.

The traffic investigator was unsure if the bus driver had dozed off while he was driving or if he had been racing with another vehicle, leading to the crash.

“All of the 11 passengers on board were sleeping when the accident occurred. They were just awakened when the bus bumped into the truck,” Salvador said.