A teenage girl had to be rushed to the hospital after a passenger jeepney slammed into a post at 4 a.m. Wednesday in Marikina City, causing the vehicle to flip over before it hit a house by the side of the road.
Rene Boy Hipolito, one of the traffic enforcers who rushed to the site of the accident on Road Dike, Minahan Interior in Barangay (village) Malanday, said Lorie Jane Docot, 17, was brought to Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center after she injured her hip.
“We received information that she would undergo a CT scan as well,” Hipolito said.
Based on an initial investigation, the passenger jeepney driven by the victim’s father Dominador was headed in the direction of Barangay Tumana when it suddenly hit a post by the roadside.
The Docots were moving to another house and had filled the vehicle—even the roof—with all their belongings when the accident took place, Hipolito said.
“In fact, Lorie Jane was on the roof at that time to make sure that their things would not fall off,” he added.
Because of the impact, the jeepney ended up flipping over and landing on its right side before it hit a house owned by Sherlito Ramos that was built beside the road.
While Ramos was at home at that time, he and the elder Docot were unhurt, Hipolito said.
The victim, however, was thrown off the roof of the passenger jeepney and onto the road.
“It was a good thing she did not hit her head or her injuries would have been graver,” Hipolito said.
The elder Docot told authorities he suddenly lost control of the steering wheel although Hipolito said it was possible that the former fell asleep as he was driving.
“It was 4 a.m. when it happened so that’s always a possibility,” Hipolito said.
He was quick to add, however, that there was no sign that the 57-year-old was under the influence of alcohol when he hit the post.
According to authorities, the passenger jeepney was being checked for any sign of mechanical failure.
Should authorities find the vehicle to be road-worthy, charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property would be filed against the elder Docot.
The police said Ramos could also file a case but so far, he has not expressed any intention of doing so.
Purisima Dichosa, barangay desk officer, said the accident did not cause heavy traffic in the area as the jeepney was immediately removed by the Marikina traffic police.