A woman was killed while seven others were injured when a delivery truck rammed into the railings of a center island along the national highway in barangay Poblacion Ward 3, Minglanilla town, southern Cebu yesterday dawn.
Police said the driver of the Isuzu cargo truck with plate number GXA-714, Joel Cardoza Ephan, 41, fell asleep on the wheel causing the accident.
The truck was heading back to Sibonga town after delivering vegetables to the Carbon public market when the accident occurred at 3:15 a.m., said PO2 Vincent Aliñabo, desk officer of the Minglanilla police station.
Police said the truck swerved toward the center island and rammed the metal railings before falling on its right side.
Parts of the truck hit a passing motorcycle and caused injury on the driver identified as Rodel Lascuña of Upper Calajoan, Mingnilla.
The lone fatality was identified as Lorenza Canoy, 52, of Sibonga town, who suffered severe head injuries.
Six other passengers were wounded. They were Aurelia Rojo, 43; Rurina Amamangpang, 40; Meliza Torres; and Narciso Ortiz – all of Sibonga town — and Mark Español 25 and Rizalina Gonzaga, 26, both of Argao town.
Those wounded were brought to Mingnilla District Hospital. Ortiz, who suffered head injuries, was later transferred to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.
Ephan suffered a minor injury in the knee. He fled after the accident but later surrendered to the Sibonga Police Station, which turned over the driver to the Minglanilla Police station.
The policeman said one of the injured passengers claimed seeing Ephan was seen drinking beer before they left Carbon market.
Aliñabo said Ephan might be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple physical injuries.
Baldwin Escalante, truck owner, promised to shoulder the hospital expenses of the victims./CORRESPONDENT JHUNNEX NAPALLACAN AND JOY CHERRY S. QUITO